Season Four: Fight or Flight
by MissShawnaAlice
Summary: Set a few months after 3.22 (Two Fires), the Rescue team are back on deck, and ready to go. But what central event changes everyone's lives in an instant?
1. 4-1: Girl On Roof Chapter 1

_EPISODE 4.1 – Girl On Roof. _

_Disclaimer – I don't own the Rescue Series, but miss it dearly since it left TV. This is set after the last episode, 3.22 (Two Fires). I'm intending this as what would have happened in Season 4._

_This has previously appeared on this site, and was removed after some issues with other members. Any of these issues arise again, and the work will be promptly removed._

_MissShawnaAlice xx._

* * *

**Chapter One-**

**Rescue Station:**

"Alright team, we've had a callout to Drummoyne area. Some sort of an explosion at a university has left some students injured, several missing, and one on the roof, who refuses to get down. Dean, Chase, Lachie in one Patrol, Jordan and Heidi in the other." The team nodded at Vince Marchello, and disappeared down the stairway to the patrols, with their unit leader. Vince ran his hands through his greying hair, and wished he could be out there with the rest of his team.

"Vince, I need you to check over these log sheets for me." He walked into Michelle's glass-walled office, and took the papers off her. He rubbed his chest sub-consciously as he read through the teams logbooks. Michelle looked up from her laptop and opened her mouth to speak, but was distracted when Vince's radio crackled to life.

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Base. Vince, we're here."

* * *

**Drummoyne:**

"Heidi. Can you assess the injured students on the ground? Lachie, help Heidi. Chase, Jordan, find me a list of everyone here on campus, and work out who's missing." The teams split up. Dean wished he had Lara here. It had been several months after Lara left, and they had scrambled to find a replacement, but to no avail. So the gap Lara had left behind stayed empty, and Dean still hoped every-day that she would come back to Rescue. So far, no luck.

"Rescue Base to Rescue Portable One, what's the sit-rep Dean?"

"Just waiting for Lachie and Heidi to get back to me, I'll have details for you in a few minutes."

"Could you use another pair of hands down there?"

"Probably Vince, but I don't see anyone volunteering." The press came over to Dean and started pushing microphones into his face, shouting questions at him.

"Excuse me sir, can you tell me the cause of the explosion? How many people are injured? Are they going to sue whoever did this?" As the questions came on thick and fast, Dean waved them away.

"If you're volunteering Vince, that'd be great. Can you bring Michelle down to run some interference with the media? They're breathing down our necks here."

"Copy that Dean. Michelle and I will be down there in five minutes. See you there." Chase and Jordan came back accompanied by a gentleman, who was clutching a list in his hands.

"Jordan, go help Lachie and Heidi. Chase, with me." The man handed Dean the list. Chase peered over his shoulder at the list of names.

"This is James McAndrews, he's the director here. He's done a check on all students, and four are missing. A dancer, Alayna Matthews, a drama student, Jesse Davis and two graphic design students, Bree Anderson and Jack Harris."

"Who's the one on the roof?"

"How did she get up there?" Chase sounded astonished as he looked around for the fire ladder. Nothing around us suggested how she got up there.

"That is… Alice Walker. She's an music student."

"Right, thank you." Vince pulled up behind Chase and Dean, and jumped out of the truck, Michelle hot on his heels.

"They're over in the student centre Michelle. Go do some PR work for us, so we can do our jobs." Michelle had an evil glint in her eye as she went to take on the network media teams that had arrived.

"Thank you sir. If you could join the rest of the students in the student centre, we'll take it from here." He walked slowly off to the centre. Vince looked at Dean.

"Who do we deal with first?"

"We've got to get the girl off the roof, and treat her. We can look for the missing students after that." Vince nodded.

"I'm gonna go help Heidi and Lachie with triage."

"Go Chase, we'll be fine." Chase sprinted away.

"Have you got the blue-prints of the school Vince?"

"Yep, they're in the truck. Printed them fresh off this morning." Vince reached in and pulled out the rather large map of the university. Dean pointed on the map to a roof-access point, near what used to be the schools theatre.

"I think she got up that way, although, it's now been demolished, thanks to whatever happened here. We'll have to set up ropes and climb up."  
"Sounds fine by me mate. Let's get her down so we can look for these other kids." Vince went to the back of Dean's Patrol, and started pulling out the harnesses and ropes so they could set up. He felt a tingling numbness in his arms as he lifted out the equipment, but dismissed it as sheer adrenaline and excitement of being able to help the team. Dean set up the ropes as ambulances started to pour through the gates of the school, to take the injured to RPA hospital. Vince directed them around where they were setting up, and then turned his attention back on Dean. Heidi, Chase, Lachie and Jordon joined them around the side of the building. The girl, Alice, sat on the roof, knees tugged to her chest, hands unclenching and clenching periodically. Heidi pulled Dean aside.

"She might be in shock Dean. I think two of us should go up, just in case." Dean nodded, and set up another harness on the lines.

"You ready Vince?"

"Yep. Let's get her down." Vince took Heidi's safety line, and Chase took Dean's as the pair climbed up the wall to the roof. Dean made it up first, and stretched out a hand for Heidi. He hoisted her onto the roof.

"Rescue Portable one to Rescue Portable Six. Vince, we're up safely, assessing the situation now."

"Copy that. Give me a sit-rep when you can." Vince rubbed his temples as he felt a pounding headache take over, and the tightness in his chest hadn't really subsided since this morning in Michelle's office. His arms were still numb and tingling, but he now put that down to be a little unfit. He glanced back up to the roof where Dean and Heidi were, struggling to stay focussed.

"Alice? Alice Walker?"

"Alice? Alice Walker?" Heidi looked over at Dean.

"Did she just repeat what I said back to me?" She whispered. He nodded.

"Are you ok Alice?" Called Dean.

"No."

"Can you tell me what's wrong Alice?" Silence.

"You can go over Dean. I'll stay here. Take the extra harness with you." He nodded, and walked cautiously over the roof to where Alice was sitting. She shuffled away slightly, looking uncomfortable. Her arm and the side of her face were covered in thick, painful burns. He sat next to her, and tried to look at her face.

"Alice. I need to put this harness on you so we can get you down, ok?" Alice refused to look at his face, and showed no signs of having heard him. He put his hand under her chin and lifted it up. Bad move on Deans part. She screamed at him, bit his hand, and crawled away from him.

"Rescue Portable Six to Rescue Portable One. What's going on up there Deano?"

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Portable Six. She bit me Vince, and she's retreated further away." Dean could hear sniggers from down below where the boys were watching.

"Alice? Alice, what are you doing up there?" Two young girls came running from the building opposite to the one Dean and Heidi were on.

"Alice?"

"Do you know Alice?" Jordon spoke to the two girls.

"Yes. My name's Kate Nichols and this is Laura Parker. What's going on?"

"We were told Alice was on the roof, but no-one was really sure why. We're just trying to get her down, which is proving a little difficult." Laura and Kate shared a look.

"What?" Jordon asked.

"Did you try to touch her?" Laura questioned.

"What do you mean?" Jordon looked bewildered by the query.

"Did one of your team members try to touch her?"

"Possibly, hang on a second. Rescue Portable Three to Rescue Portable One."

"What Jordon?"

"Did you try and touch the girl?"

"What do you mean?"

"Physical contact Dean. Did you touch her anywhere?"

"I put my hand under her chin to make her look at me. That was it. Why?"

"Just wait a second until I find out why. Over." Jordon directed his attention back to the girls.

"Someone touched her, didn't they?" Kate asked.

"Yeah, just under the chin, to make her look at him. What's that got to do with anything?" Laura sighed at him.

"She's autistic. She doesn't like to be touched."

"So then how are we going to get her down?"

"I don't know Mr. Smartypants, but your guy needs to stop going after her on the roof. She has no concept of fear, and won't realise the danger she's in. Get one of us up there, we can talk her down." Jordon looked at Kate, and then Laura, doubtful.

"Which one of you will go up?"

"Kate can. She's a little better with heights than I am." Laura had visibly paled at the thought of going up on the roof.

"Ok then. Vince! Have we got an extra harness there?"

"We do Jordon, why?"

"Send Kate here up to the roof. She can talk Alice down better than we can." Vince looked uncomfortable at the idea, but harnessed her up anyway.

"Rescue Portable Three to Rescue Portable One. Dean, you have to stop chasing Alice across the roof. Come back to the edge so you can give Kate a hand up."

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Portable Three. Jordon, who's Kate?"

"A friend of Alice's and your only hope of getting Alice off the roof."

"Ok, meet you at the edge then." Lachie harnessed up Kate, checking and double-checking to make sure it was done up securely. He gave the thumbs up to Jordon, who began hoisting her up the side of the building. Dean's head popped over the side, and he reached out a hand to take Kate's outstretched one. He pulled her up.

"My name's Dean. I assume you're Kate?" She nodded.

"Where is she?"

"Over there, close to the edge."

"Do you have the harness?" Dean pulled it over to her.

"Does it go on the same way my one did?" Dean nodded.

"What do you have to do once she's hooked into it?"

"My brother Lachie will hoist her down. Let me know when you're ready for that."

"Ok. When she gets down, Laura will help her get unharnessed. She might freak out otherwise, and she's already pretty out of it." Dean nodded. It felt weird to be given orders rather than giving them himself. Kate crawled across the roof, being careful where she placed her hands and foot so as not to fall. Dean and Heidi waited with bated breath as Kate got nearer to Alice.

"Hi Alice. What are you doing up here?"

"I don't know Kate." Alice continued rocking on the spot, clenching her hands.

"Well, why don't we get down?" Alice nodded at Kate.

"Let me put this harness on for you, and then we can get you down. Is that ok?" Alice nodded again at Kate, and allowed her to secure the harness around her.

"Amazing. She's showing us up at all our jobs." Dean muttered to Heidi.

"Be grateful Dean. At least she didn't bite you twice." Heidi giggled. Kate called over to Dean.

"Dean? We're secured." He nodded at her, and leant over the edge.

"Ok Lachie, she's coming towards you now. Keep her steady." Lachie nodded at Dean. He gave the thumbs up to Kate, who walked Alice over to the edge of the roof, speaking soothingly and quietly to her the whole time. She went over the edge quietly, and Laura met her at the bottom. Two ambulance officers met Alice and Laura, and guided her gently away so they could assess her burns and any other injuries. Jordon got Kate down, and after a few minutes of fighting with the harness, released her. She went over to the student centre where Laura and Kate were.

"Alright Chasie. I'm coming down."

"Yeah, righto then." Chase belayed his brother down the side of the building easily. Dean unhooked himself and called up to Heidi.

"Alright Heidi, your turn."

"Ok! Are you ready Vince?" Heidi called down.

"Yeah Heidi-ho." He sounded breathless. Dean and Lachie glanced at him.

"Alright. Here I come." Heidi lowered herself over the edge. Vince groaned and let go of the rope, reaching for his chest, and Heidi fell, cartwheeling down the side of the building. Vince stumbled to the wall and slumped to the ground. Heidi's legs hit the metal handrail hard, and the force flipped her around, until her head made contact with the concrete path with a sickening crack. The team split in two: Dean and Lachie headed straight for Vince, and Jordan and Chase attended to the unconscious Heidi. Michelle came running around the corner to see her team in distress.

"Dean, what's going on?" He waved her away.

"Vince. Speak to me Vince, come on." Vince just gasped for air, clutching his chest.

"Michelle, call us a few ambulances. We're going to need them." Michelle nodded, and dialled triple zero.

"Vince, we're going to give you some oxygen, and hook you up to a monitor, ok?" Vince nodded, still trying to get some decent air. Lachie placed an oxygen mask over Vince's face, whilst Dean put a monitor on him. Vince drooped forward.

"Stay with me Vince." He pulled himself up again, but failed to stay upright. He fell to the side, limp. Dean swore.

"Michelle, how far away is that ambulance?"

"Two minutes, maybe more Dean." Dean began ripping open Vince's shirt, and pushed him down into a horizontal position.

"Lachie, grab the defibrillator. He's gone into cardiac arrest!" Dean started chest compressions, hoping that his unit co-ordinator wouldn't die on him now.

"Come on Vince! Don't die on me now."


	2. 4-1: Girl On Roof Chapter 2

**Chapter Two-**  
"Heidi?" Chase checked her vitals, and hooked a monitor up to her.

"Her vitals are good."

"Heidi, you've got to wake up. Come on." Jordan checked her over.

"I'm going to need a brace for her neck, and splints for her legs. We'll patch her up until the ambo's get here." Chase jumped up and sprinted for the patrol, and pulled out his medi-kit.

"Michelle, can you grab a spine board please? I'm not sure if she's done any damage, but better to be safe than sorry." Michelle nodded, and returned a few minutes later, spine board in tow.

"Alright Chase, are you ready?"

"Just let me secure this brace around her neck, and then we can move her. I'll splint her legs after that." Chase fiddled with the cervical collar for a few more seconds.

"Done."

"On three Chase. Ready? 1… 2… 3." Both boys shifted her over onto the spine board. The monitors beeped as they lay her back down again.

"Chase, what's going on?"

"She's not getting any oxygen. She's not breathing!" Chase scrambled for an oxygen mask, and placed it over Heidi's nose and mouth. Jordan checked over Heidi's chest, and looked up at Chase.

"Chase, I think she's got a tension pneumothorax." Chase dug through his medi-kit, looking for a syringe. He found one and passed it to Jordan, who pulled out the plunger. He located the second and third ribs, and pushed the needle into the intercostal space. A hissing sound from the needle meant that it had reached its target. Heidi started breathing on her own, and the alarms sounding from the monitor ceased. Chase and Jordan grinned at each other.

"Chase, can you splint up her legs? I'll monitor her breathing."

"Sure. You know, if you kiss her, she might wake up?" Chase laughed, and began the task of splinting up Heidi.

"Come off it Chase. Geez." Jordan looked up to Michelle, who was hovering over him.

"Michelle, how's Vince going?"

"They've got a pulse, and he's breathing, but he's not looking good. We're just waiting on the ambulance."

"Have you rung Sam Marchello yet?"

"No, I hadn't thought to." Michelle was scattered. Vince was her rock when it came to decisions, and stood by her every move. Now she was faced with the fear of losing her station manager, and she didn't know what to do. Chase sat next to Heidi's head, stroking her fiery red hair, hoping she'd wake up.

"Chase, can you take over monitoring Heidi? I'm just going to talk to Michelle." Chase nodded, and Jordan stood up, brushing himself down.

"Michelle, you need to sit down. You've gone really pale." Jordan led her over to a nearby bench.

"I'll ring Sam and let him know what's happening. Can you wait for the ambulances, and go with Vince?" Michelle nodded. It was nice that someone was taking charge. Usually Dean would, but he was little pre-occupied keeping Vince alive.

"Then I want you to stay at the hospital with Vince and Heidi, and let us know what's going on. Keep us updated, ok?"

"Ok." Michelle's voice was almost a whisper. A blaring siren alerted them to the fact that the ambo's were here, and they could take over. Jordan gave Michelle one last hug.

"Look after them, ok?" She nodded, and headed over to the two ambulance crews that had arrived. Dean and Lachie Gallagher sat back and leant against the brick wall as Vince's unconscious body was loaded onto a gurney, and into the back of an ambulance. Michelle instructed the crews to take both Heidi and Vince to the same hospital, and climbed into Vince's ambulance. She stuck her head out the window as the other crew loaded Heidi into their ambulance.

"Jordan, don't forget to call Sam!" The ambulances pulled out of the carpark, and with sirens and lights, headed off to RPA hospital. Jordan fished out his phone, and dialled Sam Marchello.

"Hello?"

"Sam? It's Jordan. Something's happened to your Dad."

"Is he ok? What's wrong?"

"He had a heart attack Sam, and they've taken him to RPA. Michelle went with him in the ambulance."

"What? Is he gonna be alright?"

"I'm not sure at the moment Sam. Dean and Lachie revived him, but he wasn't looking good."

"I'm heading over there now."

"Ok. If you get stuck or need anything, ring Michelle or myself, ok?"

"Yeah, ok. Thanks Jordan." He hung up. Dean broke the silence.

"Alright team, good effort today, but we still have four students missing, and we need to find them." Everyone nodded their agreement.

"So Jordan and Chase are Team Delta, Lachie and myself are Team Alpha. We'll start at the theatre, or what's left of it, and fan out from there. Are you ready?" A chorus of replies sounded back at Dean. They hoisted their medi-kit's up on their shoulders, and headed over to the smouldering theatre.

"Did Michelle call the firies yet?"

"Don't think she did Lachie; Vince would have usually done it. I guess I'll have to do it. Jake Hudson will have a field day." Dean fumbled at his pocket, and pulled his phone out. He punched in Jake's number viciously.

"Dean mate, what's up? You need me to rescue you now?"

"Shut-up Jake. We're at a university in Drummoyne, they've had some sort of explosion. The building's still smoking, and we need you to check it out first before we go in."

"Why didn't Vince or Michelle ring?"

"Vince is out of commission at the moment, and Michelle's a little pre-occupied." Dean didn't feel like going into details.

"Look, are you coming over or not?"

"We're almost there Dean. We got the call five minutes ago. Hold your horses." Dean hung up, and turned back to what was left of his own team.

"We've got to wait until the fire crews get here, so they can check the building. We don't need any more of it collapsing whilst we're in there." Chase sighed.

"Man, I hate it when we have to rely on Hudson."

"I know Chase, but any of you get injured, I think Michelle might just kill me."

"Besides Chasie, Dad would be devastated if he lost his precious Chase. At least he'd get his spare room back!" Lachie laughed. Chase punched him in the shoulder, and Lachie ruffled his hair. They could hear the piercing sirens as they came closer, and soon, Jake and his crew were piling out of their fire truck.

"Geez Dean, what happened?"

"We have no idea. Sort of hoping you could tell us, you know?"

"Sure Gallagher." Jake slapped Dean on the back, and motioned for his team to begin their assessment. They scattered quickly.

"So where's the beautiful Lara Knight on a day like this?" Dean shrugged Jake's hand off his shoulder.

"She left Rescue Jake. Several months ago." Jake looked downcast.

"Oh." Jake's team came back and gave him an assessment on the building.

"Alright. You're ok to go inside the building, but it's not structurally sound. Check with us before you move something." Dean nodded.

"A firie to each team sound ok to you?"

"As long as I'm on your team Gallagher." Jake assigned one of his fellow members to Jordan and Chase's team, and the two groups headed to the front of the building to begin a sweep.

"Do we know if anyone was actually in here when this happened?"

"Dunno Chase, it looks pretty shredded though. All the light supports and beams have come down, and it looks a mess. Anyone would have to be incredibly lucky to survive this." Jordan shone his flashlight around the smoke-filled room. A raspy voice called out.

"Hello?" Dean motioned for them all to be quiet.

"Hello, this is Rescue Special Operations. Who are you?" A gasping breath sounded out from under the rubble.

"Alayna…"

"She's one of ours! Jordan, Chase, see if you can get to her. Alayna, it's ok, we're coming to get you." Silence. Then another raspy breath.

"Ok." The team moved into action.

"Lachie, can you run out to the patrol and grab the thermal imaging camera?"

"No need mate, the truck's closer. Use ours." Jake dashed outside to his truck, and returned moments later, thermal imager in hand.

"There's still some residual heat here from the explosion, but it should be able to detect differences in heat." Chase appeared before they could even use the camera.

"Oi, Dean! We found her. She's trapped under some of the metal light supports, and some roofing." Dean scrambled to get to Chase, Jake hot on his heels. Jordan was crouched down near Alayna's head.

"How's she doing Jordan?" Dean crouched down near the girls head.

"She's ok. BP's a bit low, pulse is rapid. Her leg is trapped under one of the beams, and it's cutting off circulation. Possible crush injury. She's got a cut on her forehead, but it looks superficial. Possible concussion."

"Thanks Jordan. How are you doing Alayna?" The tears streamed down the poor girls face.

"Hey, don't cry. We'll get you out of here. Chase, Jordan, you two alright to get her out? Lachie, Jake and myself will keep searching."

"Yeah, we'll be fine."

"There was no-one else in here except for me," Alayna wheezed.

"Thanks Alayna. Stay in radio contact you two."

"Yeah Dean, righto." Dean and Lachie stood up, and exited the smoky theatre, Jake in pursuit.

"Ok, that leaves us with three more students to find and no idea where to start."

"What departments are they from?" Asked Jake.

"Graphic design and drama. Why?"

"Best place to start would be the departments they are supposed to be in." Dean's radio crackled.

"Team Delta to Team Alpha, you there Dean?"

"Yeah Chase, what's up?"

"We could do with another pair of hands. Can you spare Lachie or Jake?"

"I'll go Gallagher. I can better monitor the fire situation whilst I'm there." Dean nodded, and spoke into his radio.

"Yeah Chase, Jake's on his way to you now. Over." Lachie and Dean jogged their way over to the graphic's department.

"It doesn't look like anything's wrong," commented Lachie. A flash, and the sound of exploding windows proved him wrong very quickly.

"Shit. Team Alpha to Team Delta, Chase, we need Jake back now."

"What's up?"

"We've just had another building explode."

"Ok, Jake's travelling now. Over." Jake came flying out of the theatre and skidded to a halt in front of Lachie and Dean.

"I leave you alone for one minute Gallagher, and another building goes. Well done." Screams suddenly filled the air around them.

"They're coming from over there!" Jake and Dean sprinted towards the graphic design building which had just caught fire.

"Hello? Hello? This is Rescue Special Operations, anyone in there?"

"Yes, please help us!"

"Tell me your name, we're working to get you out."

"My name's Bree, my boyfriend Jack hit his head."

"Are you ok Bree? Are you injured?"

"I don't think so. I'm just trapped. Hurry up and get me out of here!" Jake called over his own radio for back-up crews to meet him as soon as possible.

"We need to get her out Jake."

"I know mate, I'm working on it. Wait, where'd your brother go?"

"Lachie!" Lachie was sprinting towards the burning building, and crashed through the smoking door. His eyes watered as the acrid smoke filled his lungs. He started coughing.

"Bree. Bree!"

"Over here." He followed the sound of her voice to a bank of computers.

"Bree?"

"I'm trapped under a filing cabinet. I'll be fine, you have to get Jack out!" Lachie hesitated, indecision filling his mind, then shuffled over to Jack's limp form and lifted him up.

"I'll be back for you in a minute Bree."

"Lachie!" Dean paced the car-park, knowing he couldn't follow his brother in, but wishing he could. He watched the doorway, hoping his middle brother was ok. As Lachie's silhouette appeared in the doorway, Dean rushed forward, and Lachie dumped Jack into his arms.

"This is Jack. I've got to go back for the girl." He coughed and tried to suck in more air.

"That's a negative Lachie. It's too dangerous."

"Danger is my middle name, Dean." He ran back into the building, wheezing.

"Geez Lachie!"

"Team Delta to Team Alpha, Dean, we're going to need an ambulance, and soon. Alayna needs to be treated at a hospital as soon as possible."  
"Copy that Chase. I'll organise it now, over." Dean pulled out his mobile, and dialled Michelle.

"Michelle LeTourneau speaking. Dean, what's going on?"

"We need ambulance crews and a surgery team on standby. We found Alayna Matthews trapped in the theatre, and she's got a possible crush injury. We've found Bree Anderson and Jack Harris in the graphic design building, but we've yet to find Jesse Davis."

"Ok, I'll organise the ambo's and have the surgical team on standby."

"How's Vince and Heidi?"

"They're ok. Vince has been admitted for some more tests. They think he's been having small heart-attacks all day, and they want to monitor his condition. Sam met up with me at the hospital. As for Heidi, she's still unconscious, and they're worried about a bleed to the brain, and a possible skull fracture. Her legs are fine, just some sever bruising, probably some micro-fractures. She'll heal." Michelle sounded tired to Dean.

"Alright. Thanks Michelle." As an ambulance pulled up, Dean's worry over Lachie still being inside a burning building increased. Jordan and Chase moved Alayna on a spine board into the ambulance, and then came over to help Dean with Jack. Jordan assessed him.

"Looks like a concussion, possible smoke inhalation. Give him some oxygen, and he should be right until the ambo's can take him."

"Dean, where's Lachie?" Asked Chase.

"Inside the building."

"What? You let him go in there?"

"It's not like I let him Chase. He just ran in." Lachie's frame filled the doorway as they spoke, Bree Anderson cradled in his arms. Chase leapt up and ran towards him. Lachie staggered out, pushed Bree into Chase's arms, and then collapsed face-down in the middle of the carpark.

"Lachie! Lachie!" Dean rolled Lachie onto his back, and checked his breathing. Nothing.

"Lachie, you've got to breathe, come on!"


	3. 4-1: Girl On Roof Chapter 3

**Chapter Three-**  
"Dammit Lachie, don't give up on me now. Breathe!" Dean started CPR on his brother, praying that it would work. The ambulance crews showed up for Bree and Jack, and took them away to RPA. Jake Hudson pulled out his own mobile, and dialled triple-zero. They would need an ambulance for Lachie, and he was pretty sure neither of the Gallagher's nor Jordan would think to arrange that. Jordan started the compressions on Lachie, counting under his breath. Chase wrung his hands in despair. He didn't want to lose his brother, not now.

"Come on Lachie, you can do it!" Nothing. Then, as Jordan pulled his hands away, Lachie's chest rose on its own. Dean grabbed an oxygen mask, and placed it over Lachie's head. He was still unconscious, but was starting to come around.

"What? What's going on?" His voice was muffled by the mask.

"Just lay there Lachie. Relax. You collapsed after rescuing Bree from the building, and you've got mild smoke inhalation. The ambos will pick you up in about five minutes." Lachie ripped the mask off his face.

"No. I don't want to go." Dean and Chase looked incredulous.

"You're refusing treatment?"

"Yep." He struggled to stand, Jordan supporting him.

"We still have one kid to find. Let's find him, get out of here, and then maybe I'll consider some kind of medical treatment." Dean and Chase looked at each other. It wasn't ideal, but they needed to find Jesse, and then get of there so the police and fire crews could clean up the damage.

"Ok. You stay with me though, so I can keep an eye on you. Chase, Jordan. We're going to head over and check the drama department. Can you two check the library?"

"Sure Dean." Chase glared at Lachie, who shrugged his shoulders. He had no intention of getting medical treatment, but he had to say something to convince his two brothers to leave him alone. The two teams separated, Jake in tow with Dean and Lachie.

"Jesse. Jesse Davis."

"Can you hear me? We're with Rescue Special Operations." Dean and Lachie looked at each other. No sound. Then out of the corner of his eye, Dean noticed someone huddled in the corner. He pointed them out to Lachie. He nodded, and started to circle around, blocking all exits.

"Jesse?"

"Go away."

"Jesse, it's ok, we're here to get you out."

"Team Delta to Team Alpha, Dean, there's no-one here in the library. Just a bunch of books."

"Copy that Team Alpha. I think we found Jesse in the drama department. Do you want to meet us up here?" Lachie spoke quietly into his radio, not wanting to frighten the already spooked boy.

"Jesse, it's ok. We got every-one out. They'll be fine, now we need to get you out so we can treat you." Jesse nodded, then tried to bolt for the stairwell. Lachie tackled him to the ground.

"Listen mate. We just want to treat you. Let us treat you, and you can go, whatever you want to do." Jesse stopped struggling and Lachie released him. They led him down the stairs outside, where Chase and Jordan met them. Jesse tensed in Dean's grip.

"Chill mate. They're friends. A part of the team." Jesse relaxed. Jordan and Chase led Jesse over to a bench outside the student centre, and checked him over.

"He's only got a superficial laceration on his head. Possible concussion, but I can't be sure."

"I don't want to go in an ambulance." Chase looked at Jordan.

"What is with people and ambulances today?" Jordan shrugged.

"You don't want to go, then you need to sign a release form say that you refused treatment."

"Yeah, whatever. Hurry up and give it to me so I can go." Chase and Jordan exchanged glances, then handed Jesse the necessary paperwork so he could be released. After a few minutes, he handed it back to them signed and completed. They nodded at him, and he quickly left.

"Come on guys, let's pack up." Jake slapped Dean on the back.

"Nice working with you again Gallagher. I've got to clean up the mess that some bastards left me with." Dean grinned, and put his hand on Jake's back.

"Have fun mate." Jake laughed, and jogged off towards his truck.

"Lachie, you're with me. We're heading straight to the hospital. Jordan, you take the other patrol and Chase, you take Vince's truck."

"Mate, I'm fine. Take Jordan with you to the hospital, I'll take the patrol."

"You sure Lachie?"

"Yeah mate, I'm fine. I'll see you back at HQ." Lachie waved away Dean's concerns. Chase finished loading up the second patrol, and jumped into Vince's truck.

"See you back at HQ Lachie!" Chase sped out of the carpark.

"Yeah, yeah," muttered Lachie under his breath, as he turned the patrol out of the gates.

* * *

**RPA Hospital:**

"Michelle, what's going on?" Jordan charged into the ICU. Michelle grabbed him around the tops of his arms.

"Calm down Jordan. She's not regained consciousness yet. They're still trying to check her over. She hasn't got a bleed on the brain, which is good news. They're just monitoring her now, and they'll check her mental status when she wakes up. She just needs time to heal Jordan." He nodded.

"Can I still go in there?"

"Of course Jordan." Dean stayed outside with Michelle.

"How's Vince?"

"He's alright now. Feeling a little stupid because of what happened, but otherwise. His heart's doing better too, but he's on desk work. No more joining you out on rescues anymore, it's too dangerous." Dean nodded.

"I have to agree with you there Michelle. He's fine co-ordinating, but if there's the possibility this could happen again, then we can't have him doing active duties." A familiar voice interrupted their conversation.

"Dean?" Dean turned around to see Lara Knight standing in the hall.

"Lara! What are you doing here?" He embraced her lightly.

"I heard that Heidi was in hospital. I was going to come in and find out why."

"From who? Wait… Jake Hudson." She nodded.

"So why are you all here? Other than Heidi of course."

"Vince is in here too." Lara gasped.

"What happened?"

"He was assisting us at a rescue out at Drummoyne, and had a heart attack.

"Is he alright?"

"He's alright now, but he was belaying Heidi down a wall when it happened. He let go of her rope, and she cracked her head on the concrete, and bruised her shins." Lara looked shocked.

"Is she awake yet?" Asked Lara.

"No. Vince is, if you feel like going up and convincing him that he's not as stupid as he thinks he is," answered Michelle. Lara nodded, and left.

"Is there any…?"

"No Michelle." Dean's phone jingled in his pocket. He pulled it out, and read the caller ID: Chase.

"Yeah, what's up Chase?" Dean sounded annoyed

"Is Lachie with you?"

"No Chase. He was supposed to be there with you at HQ."

"Yeah, well, he's not."

"Is the patrol there?"

"Nope. Just Vince's truck." Dean pondered this, then heard a phone ringing in the background.

"Chase, what's that?"

"It's Vince's desk phone."

"Answer it. It might be a rescue."

"Alright! Keep your pants on; I'll be back in few minutes." Chase put his mobile on his desk and reached for Vince's phone.

"Hello, Rescue Special Ops." Chase answered the phone as professionally as he could.

"What?"

"Where?"

"Ok, thank you." Chase hung up and sat heavily in the office chair. He picked up his mobile.

"Dean, I know where Lachie is."

"Where?"

"He crashed the patrol into a telegraph pole. Someone just called it in to us."

"Ok Chase. Log it in the books and take the Rescue truck. I'll meet you there." Dean almost dropped his phone; his hands were shaking so much. Michelle looked at him.

"What's up Dean?"

"Lachie's been in an accident." She gasped, just as Lara came out of the elevator.

"Vince is asl… What's going on guys?" She asked, noting their concerned faces.

"Lachie's been in an accident. Chase and I are about to head out there now, Jordan will stay here with Heidi." Dean answered, heading towards the lift.

"Could you use a hand?" He turned back.

"Are you offering?" She smiled.

"Maybe."

"Come on then."

* * *

**North Shore Sydney:**

With blaring sirens, Dean and Lara sped towards the North Shore. Chase had messaged Dean the details, and would meet him there.

"There, I see it!" Lara called. Dean slammed on the brakes, and jumped out of the patrol, dashing towards Lachie. Lara got out, and started to assess the situation.

"Lachie! Lachie!" The car was smoking slightly, steam pouring from the engine bay. The front window was smashed, and the front of the car was crumpled like a tin can. Chase pulled up minutes later. He sprinted for the smashed patrol as well; concern for his brother the only force driving him faster. Lara took control, catching Chase before he got to Lachie.

"Chase. We need the combi-tool to get the driver door off and the medi-kits. Can you grab them, and bring them over. Dean, can you help Chase? Set up a perimeter until the police get here."

"But Lach…"

"No buts. Just do it!" Lara took charge of the situation, knowing the boys were a little stressed over what was happening. She started to assess Lachie. Chase brought over a medi-kit for her, then set about clearing the area.

"Lachie. Can you hear me mate?" He stirred in the passenger seat. Lara pulled out the monitor, and attached the various wires to him.

"Wha.. happened?"

"You were in a bit of an accident. Do you remember your full name?" She put an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth.

"Lachie… Lachie Gallagher." He started to panic a little when he realised he was trapped. "Shh Lachie. It's alright. Take a deep breath. Do you remember what happened?"

"I was driving, then everything blacked out. Next thing I know, you're here, and I've done some damage to the patrol."

"Ok, good. Can you feel your legs and arms?" He started to nod.

"Don't nod! Don't move your head. Let me put a collar on you first."

"Alright." She fastened a collar around his neck, making sure it was secure.

"Do you remember anything else today?"

"It's all a bit fuzzy." He started to slur his words.

"Lachie? You alright?"

"Yea… Jus' tire…"

"Don't go to sleep on me. Stay awake." She leant away from Lachie and yelled at Chase.

"Chase, hurry up with the combi-tool. We've got to get him out of here now." Chase sped over with the combi-tool.

"Lar… don' leav…"

"I'm not leaving Lachie. I'm right here." Chase found purchase in the door frame, and switched the combi-tool on, wrenching the door from the frame. As he tore it off, Lachie dropped unconscious, monitors beeping. Chase pulled the door off and placed it to the side.

"Lara!" She pushed Chase aside.

"No pulse." She checked his airways.

"Not breathing either. Dean!"

"What?"

"Grab the defib, he's in cardiac arrest." Dean was beside Lara in seconds, and placed the defibrillator next to her.

"Take over the compressions. I'll set-up the defib." As Lara tore the packaging off the pads, her phone rang. It was Michelle. Lara pressed it to her ear, holding it up with her shoulder.

"Lara, what's going on?"

"I'm a little busy Michelle."

"Put me on speaker then." Lara put the phone down, and pressed speakerphone.

"Dean, Chase? Sit-rep." Michelle's voice sounded tinny through the phone speakers. Chase answered her.

"Lachie's gone into cardiac arrest. We're trying to revive him." Michelle was quiet.

"Ready?"

"Clear!"

"Shocking!" Called Lara. Lachie's body tensed as the shock pulsed through him, and then relaxed.

"I've got a pulse!" A wave of relief flowed through the trio attending Lachie, and an ambulance pulled up beside them. As they transferred over, Lara picked up her phone, and switched off the speaker, putting it back up against her ear.

"So Michelle, I've been thinking about coming back to Rescue."


	4. 4-1: Girl On Roof Chapter 4

**Chapter Four-**  
**RPA Hospital:**

Jordan sat next to Heidi's bed, holding her hand. His head was resting on her bed, and his eyes were closed as he tried to catch a few z's before Heidi woke up. Michelle stuck her head in the room.

"Jordan, I'm heading off now with Sam. He'll drop me off at HQ, and I'll finish some paperwork. You happy to stay with Heidi?"

"Yeah Michelle. I'll be right here."

"Ring me when she wakes up, ok?" Jordan nodded. Michelle left the room, only to run into Dean.

"Dean! How's Lachie?"

"He's drowsy, and a little out of it. They're checking him over now, and he'll probably be admitted at least overnight." Michelle nodded.

"How's Heidi?"

"Still out to it. Jordan will stay with her tonight, and he'll keep us updated. Vince will stay in overnight, and he'll be discharged in the morning." Dean shook his head.

"It's been a crazy day today."

"It has. I'll see you tomorrow morning, bright and early." Michelle exited the room, and Dean headed back down to Emergency, where they were trying to stabilise Lachie.

"Babe." Her voice was raspy through the oxygen mask. She squeezed Jordan's hand.

"Hey. How you doing?" She nodded, and then grimaced as a shaft of pain seared through her head.

"What happened?" He rubbed her hand as he relayed back the events of the day.

"Vince had a heart attack, and let go of your safety rope. Your shins hit the handrail, and that caused you to flip around and crack your head on the concrete. You have a concussion, and had a tension pneumothorax whilst we were treating you."

"Now I know why I feel so crap." He nodded.

"Is Vince ok? Please tell me he's alright."

"Yeah Heidi, he's fine. He's upstairs in the cardiac ward."

"Can I see him?"

"You need to stay here and rest Heidi." He brushed back her fringe, and kissed her on the forehead.

"I'll be back in a minute. I've just got to ring Michelle and let her know you're awake." Heidi nodded, regretting the movement almost instantly. He left the room, leaving Heidi to contemplate the day's events.

"Heidi-Ho!" A nurse pushed Vince into the room in a wheelchair.

"Vince! You're ok." He nodded.

"Yeah, I'm fine. How are you doing?"

"I'm ok, a little battered and bruised. I've got a corker of a headache though, and my shins feel like they've seen better days. Otherwise, I'm pretty good." Vince looked upset.

"What's wrong Vince?"

"I'm so sorry Heidi. I didn't mean to let go of the rope. I'm so sorry." The tears streamed down Vince's face. Heidi was like a daughter to him, and he felt dreadful over what had happened. Heidi stretched over and took his hand.

"Vince." He looked up at her.

"It's alright. You're safe, I'm safe. That's all that matters." He nodded.

"I just… I feel terrible Heidi."

"Don't be silly Vince. I'll be fine. You need to get better now, so you can take control of us all again." He smiled and looked her in the eyes.

"You get better now Heidi-Ho. We need you back as soon as possible." Jordan came back into the room.

"Hey Vince. How are you going?"

"Good thanks mate. Hearts feeling a little better, and if I have it my way, I'll be leaving this joint tomorrow. Might even have Michelle come pick me up." The same nurse who brought Vince in entered the room, and wheeled him back out. He called back to Heidi and Jordan.

"Although, with the five-star treatment I'm getting in here, I might never leave." Heidi and Jordan could hear him chuckling as he was wheeled down the corridor.

"Michelle says hi, and she hopes you're feeling better soon. I ran into a nurse outside, and she's just told the doctor you're awake. He'll be in to check on you soon."

"Thanks babe." He kissed her hand.

"I was worried about you today. I could have lost you."

"You'll never lose me sweetheart. I'm like gum on a shoe Jordan, I'm hard to get rid of!" They both laughed at that.

* * *

The next morning, Michelle drove to RPA hospital to pick up Vince. It was a Tuesday, and she would have asked Sam, but he was in the middle of his HSC, and he needed to be at school.

"Michelle! Get me out of here." She grinned. Vince was back. She signed his papers, and led him out to the car. He jumped into the passenger side, and buckled himself up.

"A little keen are we Vince?"

"I'm just desperate to get out of here, and get back to work." She laughed.

"You're restricted to light duties at the moment Vince. No more rescues for you for a while." He nodded, sombre.

"So how's the rest of my team?"

"Your team? Our team more like." Vince chuckled.

"Yeah yeah. How is everyone?"

"Dean, Lara, Chase and Jordan are all fine. They'll be in this morning."

"What about Lachie?"

"He smashed up one of your patrols yesterday, after finishing the rescue at Drummoyne."

"Is he alright?"

"Just complications from smoke inhalation. They'll release him later today. Heidi won't be released until tomorrow, but if she had it her way, she'd leave now." Michelle giggled as they pulled into HQ. Dean met them outside.

"Vince mate, good to see you back."

"Yeah Deano, couldn't leave you in charge too long, who knows what you would have done to the place!" They laughed. Jordan pulled up in the patrol, Heidi in the passenger seat. Dean called out to her.

"Heidi? What are you doing back? You weren't supposed to be released until tomorrow."

"Yeah, I convinced them I'm fine. Besides, I've got all you guys here. You can watch me if something goes wrong."

"Right then, light duties for you too then Heidi. Sorry." Michelle didn't look apologetic, but she was happy to have Heidi back. Lara popped her head downstairs, freshly pressed Rescue uniform on her.

"Dean, Lachie needs someone to pick him up. Doctors gave him the all clear to leave an hour ago."

"Yeah, righto then."

"Lara? When did you come back?" Heidi felt a little behind on current events.

"Yesterday after I saved Lachie from a car accident. I realised that Rescue is my true family, and I could never leave you guys."

"Aww, a sentimental moment," came Chase's voice from inside the garage.

"Shut-up Chase!" A chorus of voices told him.

"Come on team, back to work." As they clattered up the stairs to the office area, Vince's phone rang. He answered it slightly out of breath.

"Hello?"

"What?"

"Again?"

"Right, we'll be there in ten minutes." He put the phone down, and looked at his team.

"You'll never believe this."

"What?" Asked Lara.

"Same place as yesterday, another explosion. Same girl on the roof, different building. People missing again. You guys head off, and I'll contact Dean and let him know."

"Vince, please let me go." Heidi begged him. The team paused on the stairs.

"Heidi. You know I can't let you go."

"Come on Vince, I'll look out for her." Heidi threw a grateful glance at Jordan, and mouthed her thanks. Vince sighed.

"Alright. Any sign of altered mentals status, you sit her out straight away. You hear me."

"Thanks Vince!" Heidi gave him a quick hug.

"Ok then, Chase and Lara take the last patrol, Heidi and Jordan, take the truck. I'll monitor you guys from here, and organise the firies and the police. Go, get out of here." Michelle appeared from the bathroom.

"What's going on?"

"Explosion, same place as yesterday. This doesn't feel like a coincidence." Michelle nodded.

"I know it's hard Vince, but you need to stay here." Vince sighed.

"I know, but I'm itching to be out there."

"Well, whilst I have you held captive, you can fill out yesterday's incident report." Michelle dumped a stack of forms on his desk. Vince whined.

"Do I have to?"

"You know as well as I do. If I'm not on your back about this you'll never get them done. And Head Office will be the ones breathing down my neck."

* * *

**Drummoyne:**

"Alright, same deal as yesterday." Dean had arrived, Lachie in the patrol with him.

"The main administration has been hit, and we have casualties inside. There's someone on the roof again."

"It's Alice Walker. Same girl as yesterday." Chase sounded shocked.

"Yeah Chase. And we have a student missing again."

"No prizes for guessing who." Heidi muttered.

"Yep. It's Jesse Davis again."

"Vince sent us over a list of people we need to find. Lara, Lachie and Chase, can you get the girl down. Heidi and Jordan, we need to get in and assess the people inside. Almost everybody has been evacuated, and we need to confirm that the list is correct." The two teams nodded, and then split up.

"I have this feeling of déjà vu," said Lachie as he pulled harnesses and ropes out of the car.

"Hey Lara. Shottie not going up there. You can get her down."

"Why? What's the big secret?" The boys sniggered.

"Nothing," they answered in unison. Lara shook her head, and spoke into her radio.

"Rescue Portable Two to Rescue Portable One. Dean, what's the go with this chick up on the roof?"

"She's autistic Lara. The whole exercise is to see if you can convince her to get off the roof. She bit me yesterday, now you can deal with her."

"Dean, that's ridiculous!"

"It's not Lara. Consider it your initiation back into the team." Lara scowled, and let go of her radio.

"How the hell am I supposed to get her down from there?"

"Dunno Lara, but you better get her down. It looks like she's pretty injured," said Lachie, feeding the ropes through, and tightening Lara's harness.

"Ready to go Lara?"

"Ready as I'll ever be." Lara walked up to the wall, and started climbing, Lachie belaying her rope as she went.

Meanwhile in the administration building, Dean, Jordan and Heidi were assessing the situation. Desks were smouldering gently, filing cabinets had been tipped over, and thick smoke filled the room.

"Man, this looks just like yesterday in the graphic design department. What is it with this university and fire?" Jordan asked.

"Dunno, but we need to get them out."

"Agreed."

"Help. Please help me!" A voice came from the back office. Dean raced in to find a woman trapped under her desk, impaled in the leg by a wooden post. Dean slid to the floor.

"I can't get out, please. Help me," she begged. Dean took charge.

"Jordan, we're going to need a saw. We won't take the post out, but we'll have to cut it down to a manageable size before we move her." Jordan dashed out of the room. Dean handed her a green whistle.

"Suck on this. It'll help with the pain for a while."

"Dean, I need some extra oxygen. Can you spare some?"

"Yeah Heidi, what's up?"

"I've got an asthmatic in here. He's trapped under a filing cabinet, and he's struggling to breathe. We can't find his meds in here to help him." Dean spoke to the woman he was attending.

"I'll be back in a second. Don't go anywhere." She nodded. Dean crept out into the outer office, where Heidi was attending another man. He recognised him from yesterday.

"Heidi, this is James McAndrews. He's the director here." He handed her the oxygen tank.

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Portable Three. Jordan, can you bring a combi-tool and some air-bags?" The radio crackled static.

"Jordan? Do you copy?" Nothing. Silence rent the air.

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Portable Four, Chase, can you grab us some tools from the patrol? We need a combi-tool and some air-bags."

"Sorry Dean, we're a little pre-occupied at the moment. We've nearly got Alice down. She's pretty banged up." Dean punched the wall.

"Heidi, I need to run out and grab some tools. I'll be back in five minutes."

"Okay Dean. Hurry!" Dean sprinted out to the patrol, cursing Jordan's name as he ran. He grabbed the needed tools from the truck, and flew back inside.

"Alright, let's get Mr McAndrews out and into some fresh air and then we can attend to the woman in the back." Heidi nodded.

"Mr McAndrews, we're going to get you out. It'll be alright." James nodded and coughed through his oxygen mask.

"Dean, hurry up."

"Yeah, I'm getting there Heidi." As they extricated their patient, they heard the other woman moaning in pain.

"Are you right with him Dean?"

"Yeah, I'll get him out. You go and attend her. Take the saw with you, make sure you compress her leg tight." Heidi nodded, and moved into the next room.

"Ma'am, are you alright?"

"Just get me out of here!"

"Sheesh. Okay, I'm working on it." Heidi wrapped a compression bandage above the wound, to restrict the blood flow. She hoisted up the saw, and started to shorten the post. Dean was working in the other room, freeing Mr McAndrews from his position under the filing cabinet. As he got him free and helped him up, someone emerged from the shadows.

"Jesse?" He pulled a knife from his cargo pants.

"I'll take him from here."

"Jesse, whatever's happened, you don't need to do this."

"You don't know anything!" He screamed, waving the knife around.

"Jesse. Calm down.

"Don't tell me to calm down!" Jesse yelled. He lunged forward and grabbed James. Dean punched Jesse in the face. Jesse retaliated, slashing the knife across Dean's arm. The cut was deep, and was bleeding quickly. He compressed it with his arm, sliding down the office wall.

"Don't tell anybody I was here," spat Jesse.

"Or your other rescue boy doesn't survive."


	5. 4-1: Girl On Roof Chapter 5

**Chapter Five-**  
"Dean. Dean?" Heidi called out from the other room.

"Heidi, I need your help," Dean rasped. Heidi entered the room.

"What happened?" She said as she bent down in front of him.

"Jesse got to me." She gasped, was unsettled for a moment, and then her Rescue training took over.

"Let me strap your arm, and we'll get you out of here. I'll get Lachie to help me get the woman out." Dean grunted as Heidi put more pressure on the wound. She bandaged it tight, and then helped him get to his feet. He stepped back, a wave of dizziness taking over him.

"Woah. Steady there Dean." She helped him outside.

"Dean! What happened?" Chase, Lachie and Lara were just packing up the ropes from earlier, and Chase dashed over to help Heidi with Dean. Heidi spoke.

"Jesse Davis. He's behind all of this. He's taken James McAndrews at knifepoint." Lara ran over, dropping the ropes she was packing up on the ground.

"Jesse. Who's Jesse?" She said breathlessly.

"A student we rescued yesterday. We should have known something was off when we rescued him." Chase filled her in.

"Lara, can you help with Dean? Lachie, I have a woman trapped inside, and I need help getting her out."

"Sure thing Heidi." Heidi and Lachie headed back inside the smoky building.

"Lara," gasped Dean.

"Yeah, I'm here Dean."

"He's got Jordan somewhere. He's threatening to kill him. Jesse's got a weapon." Dean was becoming stressed as he struggled to comprehend the fact that a member of his team was in mortal danger. Heidi and Lachie appeared out of the entryway, carrying the injured woman, just as the ambos and firies showed up. Jake Hudson jogged up to the back of the patrol where Dean was sitting, being tended to by Lara.

"Lara! I thought this bozo said you were gone." She smiled at him.

"Employed as of yesterday," she said, slapping him playfully on the arm. He went to slap Dean on the back, and stopped when he saw the bandage on his arm seeping blood.

"Gallagher, what happened? Rescue becoming too much for you?' Dean shook his head.

"Crazed kid with a knife."

"Where is he now Gallagher?"

"No idea." Dean was getting paler.

"Right, well, we're going to go put a fire out, and the arson squads coming in. This is intentional, we're sure of it." Jake sprinted away to direct his fire crews.

"Dean, we need the ambos to check you out. I'll take charge," said Lara. He nodded, happy for someone to have control.

"Rescue Portable Two to Rescue Base, Vince, I've got a sit-rep for you."

"Rescue Base to Rescue Portable Two, where's Dean, Lara?"

"He's being treated by the ambo officers."

"What happened?" Asked Vince, concern filling his voice.

"Jesse Davis, the boy they rescued yesterday, took to him with a knife, and he's taken the director hostage. Can you send the police down here for us?"

"Sure thing Lara. Is Dean ok?"

"Yeah, he'll be right. Needs a bit of oxygen, probably a few stitches in his arm to close up the laceration in his arm, but he'll be right."

"Right. Thanks Lara."

"That's not all Vince."

"What Lara?"

"He's taken Jordan."

* * *

"Jordan? Jordan!" The four members left had grouped into teams.

"Oi, Lara. Need some help?"

"Jake! Yeah, if any of your teams are available, we could definitely use the help. We're using frequency one."

"Sounds good. Have you got a grid you're working off?"

"We're just checking things building by building. No grid."

"We're do you want us to start, Lara?"

"We need a team over in the drama department, and another checking graphic design. We have two teams, one taking this floor, the other taking the upper floor." Jake nodded.

"See you at the end." Lara nodded. She had paired Heidi and Chase together, and put Lachie in her own team.

"Chase, Heidi, you take this floor. Lachie and I will head upstairs." The two teams nodded, and then split, Lara and Lachie heading for the stairs. They wandered the upstairs corridor.

"Jordan? Jordan!" They checked rooms, until someone stepped out in front of them.

"Hello." His voice was sinister.

"Jesse. Mate."

"Don't mate me, you idiot." Lachie stepped back, putting Lara behind him. Jesse pulled the door closed.

"What's going on Jesse? What have you done?" Asked Lara.

"You're a pretty bitch. Why weren't you here yesterday? Maybe you could have stopped me then, I would have been convinced to stop for you." He spat on the floor.

"Jesse. Come on. What is going on?"

"I just wanted to hurt the director and his precious university. He's threatening to kick me out, and I can't have that. I need to finish my degree so I can get out of this country, away from everything here!" He lunged forward with his bloodied knife. Lachie's SAS training kicked into gear, and he quickly disarmed him, throwing Jesse's knife to the floor, and pushing Jesse to his knees, hands pulled behind his back.

"You can't hurt me. You don't even know where your own man is, or where McAndrews is. You hurt me, you never find him. I will not speak." Lachie and Lara exchanged looks.

"That's a risk we'll have to take." Lachie pulled him up.

"Rescue Portable Two to Rescue Base. Vince, we've caught Jesse. Do you know if the cops are here yet?"

"Rescue Base, Lara, they're outside waiting for your transfer."

"Thanks Vince."

"Any news on Jordan?"

"Not yet. We'll keep you posted."

* * *

Heidi and Chase were checking the dance studio's on the ground floor.

"Chase, what if we never find him?"

"Heidi, we'll find him."

"But what if we don't?"

"We will Heidi. Don't be like that. Think positively. We'll find him." They came to a janitor's closet near a bathroom. Blood seeped from under the door.

"Oh no, Jordan!" Heidi flung the door open, only to find James McAndrews lying crumpled on the floor. Chase checked his vitals, and shook his head.

"Nothing Heidi." He picked up his radio.

"Rescue Portable Four to Rescue Base, we've got a Code Four Vince."

"Rescue Base, it's not Jordan is it?"

"No Vince. It's the director, James McAndrews."

"Thanks Chase. I'll let the police know. I'll have some ambos meet you inside, and they can take his body to the hospital morgue."

"Ok Vince." Heidi slumped against the wall, tears streaming down her face.

"We're never going to find him Chase."

"We will Heidi. It'll be ok." He bent down and hugged her tight.

"It'll be ok."

* * *

"Lachie, the smoke's getting too thick to see anything. How many more rooms have we got to go before we're finished?" Lara said, coughing as she crawled along. She reached behind her and pulled on her breathing apparatus, sucking in the sweet oxygen.

"We've got two more rooms to clear, and then we can head outside." Lara nodded, and reached for her radio.

"Vince, we've got two more rooms to go on this floor, and then this floor is clear."

"Ok Lara. Keep me updated." Vince clicked off his radio.

"Lara to Jake. Anything in the drama and graphic area's?"

"No Jordan, if that's what you're asking, but we have found several more starters and a good quantity of explosives. This kid was serious, and I mean, wow. We've diffused the starters, and the bomb squad's on their way to take out the explosives." Lara coughed and spluttered.

"Thanks Jake. I think we've got a new fire up our way. The corridor we're in is filling with smoke."

"Make sure you've got your BA's on. We'll be finished here shortly, and we'll come investigate. See you in a few." Lachie pulled himself forward and checked the next room.

"Nothing here Lara."

"One more to go Lachie. We can do this. We need to find Jordan." He nodded, and crawled further onward.

"Lara to Heidi and Chase. Sit-rep guys."

"We found McAndrews." Chase reported in, whilst Heidi tried to compose herself.

"Is he okay?"

"Code Four Lara. The ambo officers just picked him to take him to the morgue. He'd lost a lot of blood." Lara sighed.

"Any sign of Jordon yet?"

"Nope. Not yet."

"Ok Chase. We're almost done here, and then we'll meet you downstairs to help you complete the search."

"Copy that Lara." Lachie had finished the last room, and had crawled back to Lara.

"All clear. We can head downstairs now." Lara nodded. Coughing and spluttering they headed back to the stairwell. Hoping they'd somehow find their team-mate alive and well.

* * *

"Heidi, come on. We need to keep looking." He pulled her up, and embraced her again.

"We'll find him, ok?" He brushed a tear away from cheek, and kissed her forehead. Heidi was like a sister to him, and he hated to see her in so much pain. She nodded and stepped forward.

"We still have four more rooms to check before we get to the studios."

"Well then, let's get these rooms done, and find Jordan." Chase knew of her feelings for Jordan. They'd confessed to still loving each other when they were trapped in flour room in a mill, about to die from gas. He understood how she felt, and knew that for her sake, they better find Jordan soon. Lara and Lachie came tumbling down the stairs moments later, and landed in front of Chase and Heidi.

"You alright?" Chase asked, pulling Lachie to his feet.

"Yeah, we're fine," answered Lara, pulling off her BA. The air was clearer on the lower level, but was still quite smoky.

"We've only got the music studios left to check, and then this building's all clear." They nodded at each other. They were headed towards the music studios, when Jake Hudson burst through the doors.

"Hey guys. I need someone out here to help. We've found a few injured in another fire. Can you spare anyone?" Lara looked at her team.

"Lachie and I will go." She knew that Heidi and Chase would have the drive to find Jordan, no matter what the cost.

"You sure Lara?"

"Yeah Lachie. Come on, let's go." Jake motioned for them to move forward, and they followed him out into the bright sunshine, almost blinding in comparison to the smoky rooms they'd been checking. Heidi and Chase forged ahead.

"You go down the end, I'll meet you in the middle." Chase was the leader now. Heidi felt like her mind was separated from her body, like she had no control. She numbly moved forward and opened the first door. Nothing. The second and third doors were the same. When she reached the fourth door, she'd lost all hope. She didn't even open it. Heidi slumped to the floor, tears pouring down her face as she contemplated a life without her love. Chase heard her sobbing, and came back out.

"Come on Heidi, only a few more rooms to go. I'll check them with you." She nodded, and took his offered hand. The smoke became thicker as they moved down the rooms, each one of them just as empty as the first. As they got to the end, Heidi felt more downcast. She grasped Chase's shirt, coughing and sobbing.

"Chase, he's not here. We're never going to find him!" Chase embraced her, frantically trying to think if they'd missed any rooms.

"Wait. Heidi, there was a large metal cabinet in the last room. You don't think…" She looked at him, and he looked at her. They sprinted down the corridor to the last studio. Chase reached the room first, and flung open the metal doors. There was a limp Jordan. His face was covered in heavy, dark bruises and dried blood. His hands were tied roughly behind his back, and a gag shoved crudely into his mouth. He didn't appear to be breathing. Heidi tried to check him over through the brimming tears in her eyes.

"Chase, he's not breathing." He made a split second decision.

"Put a BA on him, and we'll have to resuscitate him outside. We can't help him in here with so much smoke." Chase got behind Jordan, lifting him under his shoulders, Heidi taking his feet. They fought with the doors as they got him outside.

"Lara! We need help!" Lara came tearing over.

"Oh my, put him down over here." Heidi had tears spilling down her face, and she could barely see. Lara guided them over onto a spine board, and Lachie joined them. They lowered him carefully. As soon as he was lowered, Heidi started fighting to get in to start CPR. Chase grabbed her around the middle, and held her back. She kicked and screamed to be let go, and fought against Chase's strong grip.

"Jordan," she sobbed. Chase tried to soothe her. Lachie and Lara worked frantically on him, trying to get his oxygen deprived body functioning. Heidi had a brief flashback to when Jordan was poisoned with methyl bromine, and tried to choke back a sob.

"Jordan. Don't die on me now, please!"


	6. 4-1: Girl On Roof Chapter 6

**Chapter Six-**  
Heidi felt utterly shattered. Chase grabbed his radio of his shoulder, cradling Heidi with his other arm.

"Rescue Portable Four to Rescue Base. Vince, we found Jordan." Chase's radio crackled to life.

"What's his status Chase?"

"We pulled him out of a cabinet. His face is covered in blood, and he looks an absolute mess. He was gagged and bound."

"Is he breathing?" Chase hesitated. Michelle's voice came over the radio.

"Chase. Is. He. Breathing?" Chase took a deep breath.

"No."

"Oh no."

"Lara and Lachie are working on him now." The whole team felt like time was in slow motion, as they fought to bring Jordan back to life. They thought all hope was lost, until he coughed, and sucked in a lungful of air.

"Jordan!" Heidi freed herself from Chase's grip.

"Michelle, he's back." Jordan's eyes watered as he drew in more oxygen. Lara secured an oxygen mask over his face. Heidi slammed into his side, hugging him, and he groaned in pain.

"Babe, are you ok?" He shook his head, grimacing.

"Jordan, what's wrong?" Asked Lara. Heidi shrieked as she pulled away her hand from his torso. It was covered in deep, red blood.

"I think he stabbed me with his knife. I don't remember a lot," replied Jordan in a hoarse voice.

"I tried to stop him from getting back in with the knife, and he stabbed me. When I fell on my knees, he started to kick me, and then he started hitting me in the face, saying I was ruining his plan, and then he grabbed my head and slammed it into a brick wall. I think I blacked out after that." Jordan panted with his effort to relay everything. Lachie pressed a gauze pad against the open wound, and Jordan pulled a face. Lara ran her hands along his ribs, checking them, and he moaned in pain.

"I think he may have a broken rib or two as well." Lachie nodded, focussed on firmly taping the gauze to Jordan's side.

"I think the rest of it is just cuts and bruises." Lara finished her examination, and went to stand up. Heidi ran her fingers through Jordan's hair, glad that he was back. As she pulled her hand back to run his hair through her fingers again, she noticed the fresh blood.

"Lara, I think he's got a head wound." She crouched back down again.

"Chase, can you and Lachie roll the spine board over? I don't want to risk him in case he's a spinal. There's all chances he's not, but I'd rather be safe than sorry." Lachie and Chase nodded their agreement, and rolled Jordan to the side. Lara checked the back of his head.

"Heidi, he's split his head open a little, probably when Jesse smashed it into the wall. Can you hand me some gauze and a bandage?" Heidi nodded, passing her the first aid equipment. Lara patched him up as the ambulance crew pulled into the driveway. The ambos lifted Jordan onto a gurney, Heidi holding his hand the whole entire time. As they loaded him inside, Heidi ran around the front to the passenger side, and jumped in, buckling her seatbelt. The ambulance technicians climbed in, and soon they were leaving.

"Wow. Big day, huh?"

"Yeah Chase." Lara's phone rang.

"Hey Vince."

"How's Jordan doing?"

"Just left in the ambulance now."

"All good?"

"Yeah, he'll be right."

"Well, you're all invited for drinks at the pub tonight, my treat."

"Yes!"

"Oh, and tell Lachie, if he's driving a patrol back, he better not smash it this time." Lara relayed the message to Lachie, who playfully punched her in the arm.

"Ow. Yeah Vince, he'll be careful. See you at the station in a few."

"Oh, can you pick up Dean on the way back? He's all stitched up now, and dosed on some good pain meds, and he can't really drive. Drop him home if you can."

"Yeah sure Vince. I'll take the other patrol, and Chase can take the truck."

"Good. See you at the station in a quarter of an hour." Lara hung up, and finished her pack up.

"Well boys, I'll see you back at the station. Drinks at the pub afterwards, Vince's treat." Lachie and Chase high-fived each other.

"Yes!"

* * *

Lara pulled up out the front of RPA hospital, and dashed inside to get Dean. She brought him outside, struggling a little with his weight.

"Hey Lara. My arms numb," he slurred, slightly drugged up. She giggled at him, and got back in the driver's side, buckling her own seatbelt, and checking Dean's.

"Let's take you home." She pulled out of the driveway, and soon they were heading towards Dean's house. Lachie and Chase had moved out a while ago, and lived in an apartment block across town.

"So what did I miss?"

"We found Jordan. Jesse had stuffed him inside a metal cabinet after knocking him out, and had him bound and gagged. He'd lost a fair bit of blood, and had a very impressive piercing in his side, but he's ok now. We had to revive him too. He's almost harder to revive than you are," she joked.

"Yeah. Maybe." She pulled up out the front of his house.

"You right to go in?" He nodded, and opened the door, stumbling like a drunk. Lara jumped out.

"Let me help you." She swung his arm over her shoulder, and helped him up the few steps to his door. He fumbled for his keys, and dropped them to the ground.

"Here." Lara bent down and picked them up, using them to unlock the front door.

"Thanks," slurred Dean sleepily. He staggered inside, tripping over his own feet.

"Come on, get into bed. I don't trust you to look after yourself. I'll drop Lachie over tonight to watch you overnight."

"'Kay." He shuffled over to his bed and flopped down on it, asleep almost instantly. Lara covered him with a blanket, and left a glass of water on the bedside table. She tip-toed outside, locking the door behind her.

"Cheer's Vince!" The team raised their glasses in a toast.

"To all that's happened today!"

"Thank heavens we survived!"

"To good memories!" The team threw back glasses of wine and beer, enjoying their time together. As they gathered their things to leave for the night, Lara grabbed Lachie's arm, and he stopped, looking at her.

"What's up Lara?"

"Dean's at home by himself tonight. I think someone should stay with him tonight, you know?"

"Nah, sorry Lara. I hate to decline such a lovely offer, but I've got me and Chase dates tonight, and if we cancel, we look bad. You know how it is."

"Oh. Right. Okay then." He clapped her on the shoulder.

"Guess you'll have to stay with him then, yeah?"

"Yeah." Lara struggled to comprehend the fact that she would have to stay Dean tonight. As she walked out the pub doors, she felt a cold chill, like someone was watching her. She shook it off, and headed for her car.

_A hooded stranger emerged from their hiding place in the shadows… Waiting… Watching…_


	7. 4-2: Riots Right Chapter 1

_EPISODE 4.2 – Riots Right._

Disclaimer – I don't own the Rescue Series, but miss it dearly since it left TV.

* * *

**Chapter One-**  
A few weeks later, the team was sitting in the office, writing and filing reports. All was quiet, if you didn't count the tapping of computer keyboards, when Vince's phone rang.

"Rescue Special Operations, Vince Marchello."

"Really?" He scribbled on his notepad.

"Rosemeadow?" He scratched out the words faster.

"Righto, we're on to it." He put the receiver down, and lifted his notepad, peering through his glasses.

"Right team, we've been called in to an MVA in Rosemeadow involving a car that's driven into a house. Unknown number of casualties, and the police are there. That's about all of I've got, I'll update you with more as I know it. Lara, Lachie, patrol one. Chase, Heidi-Ho, patrol two. Dean and Jordan, light desk duties for you both."

"Why are the police there Vince?" Asked Lara, grabbing her phone of her desk.

"Other than the fact it's an accident, there are reports of rioting there, so watch yourselves. Lara, you're in charge." She nodded to Vince. Dean started to complain as the other thundered down the stairs

"But Vin…"

"No 'but's', 'if's', 'maybe's' or 'I'm fines'. You're not going." Dean slumped back down in his desk chair, sullen at the fact he couldn't go. Jordan, on the other hand, still had this annoying twinge in his ribs occasionally that signalled to him he should really rest at least another week. He grabbed another file, and began entering the details into the system.

"You're easy to please." Dean broke the silence.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, normally you'd be complaining about the fact you've got desk duty, and today? You're quiet, and calm about the whole thing."

"I dunno Dean. Maybe I've mellowed." Jordan chuckled and turned back to his computer screen.

"Love more like."

* * *

**Rosemeadow:**  
"Rescue Portable Two to Rescue Base. Vince, you didn't mention how much of a mess it would be out here." Lara was irritated that he'd neglected to tell her this fact.

"Rescue Base to Rescue Portable Two, no-one told me Lara." He chuckled.

"What's the sit-rep?"

"We've got a patient trapped in the driver's seat, another under the front wheel, and unknown everywhere else."

"Ok. Ambos are on their way." Chase jumped out of his patrol, Heidi alongside him. He sniffed the air.

"Is that petrol fumes?"

"Vince, we've got petrol leaking from the car. Can you request fire crews to back us up?"

"Copy that Lara, there's a fire station nearby. I'll get onto them. Over." Lara turned to the team.

"Right. Chase, can you assess the passenger under the wheel? Heidi, see if you can get in the house, check if anyone's inside. Lachie, take the driver." A squad car pulled up alongside the patrols. A uniformed officer climbed out.

"Officer Kelly Brandon, how may I help you?" She shook Lara's hand, as Lara introduced herself.

"I'm Lara Knight, Acting Unit Leader for the Rescue Special Operations team. What's going on here?"

"Riots. It's been quiet for too long, we should have seen this coming. We've calmed most of it down, but the damage remains. There's only so much we can do before we need help, so we called you in."

"Glad we can help. Any other areas that need assessing?"

"No. We've checked them, and the other houses are empty. These blocks are due for demolition anyway. They're building estate instead, getting rid of the public housing." Lara nodded.

"Thanks for that officer."

"Lara! I could use your help over here!" She smiled at Officer Brandon, before jogging over to Lachie.

"What's up?"

"Can you grab a collar for me? He's a possible spinal." Lara grabbed the collar, and Lachie wrapped it around the man's neck, fastening it securely.

"How will we get him out? The doors jammed up against the house, and we won't get him out safely through the side window." Lachie grinned at Lara, and pointed up.

"Through the sunroof."

* * *

Heidi checked the other rooms of the house, and was about to pronounce it clear, when she heard crying. She backtracked to a little hallway, and realised there was a room just off to the side. She pushed the door open to find a two-year old boy on the floor. His skinny face was streaked with tears, as he screamed his lungs out.

"Shh bubby. It's alright." Heidi crossed the room to him, and lifted him up into her arms, cradling him. His wailing reduced to whimpering as he snuggled into Heidi's shoulder, comforted.

"I wonder where your mummy is." She reached carefully for her radio, trying not to disturb the sleepy child.

"Rescue Portable Five to Rescue Base, Vince, do we know who the occupants of the house are?"

"Give us a minute Heidi-Ho." Vince shuffled through the papers on his desk.

"Ah, here we go. Graham and Tracy Fielding live there with their son Mattie."

"I've got Mattie here, and he's been left alone, I've got no idea where the parents are, and I can't leave unaccompanied."

"Look after him for a little while. I'll organise a social worker to come and collect him off you."

"Thanks Vince." She attached her radio back to her uniform, and headed for the stairs, Mattie ensconced safely in her arms.

* * *

"Chase, how's your patient?" Called Lara.

"Not good. I think she's ruptured her spleen, and she's got the possibility of a crush injury. She hasn't woken up yet."

"Lara, I'm ready to shift Mr Williams," said Lachie. They pulled him through the sun-roof of the car, being careful not to bump him on the way out. They transferred him into a nearby ambulance, and soon he was on his way to Campbelltown Hospital. Lachie moved around to Chase's patient.

"I'm going to try and move the car mate."

"Yeah, ok." Lachie jumped over Chase, and headed for the front of the car.

"Ready Chase?"

"Ready!" Lachie pushed against the front of the car. As it moved, the girls BP plummeted, alarms beeping everywhere.

"Dammit! I'm losing her!" Lara came running. She felt over the girl's stomach.

"Abdomen's rigid. She's bleeding internally." As the alarms declared the girl's imminent death, Lara sat back, silent.

"The pressure of the car was keeping her alive," she said quietly. Lachie crouched down behind her.

"There was nothing you could do Lara," he said, rubbing her back.

"I should have known! I should have checked, made sure she would be ok once we moved the car. I'm in charge, I should just know!" As she dissolved into tears, Lachie pulled her up into standing position, and held her. Chase sat back on the floor, shocked by the fact he had lost another patient. It was something you hoped never happened in a rescue, but sometimes it was inevitable. Heidi appeared in what used to be their living room.

"What happened?"

Heidi sat in the back of the patrol, holding the sleeping Mattie. Lachie, Lara and Chase packed up the days gear.

"Heidi, can you help us for a second? Put Mattie on the back seat, he'll be ok for a few minutes."

"Sure." Heidi placed Mattie gently on the back seat in the patrol, and jogged over to help Lara. As they packed the gear in the other patrol, Heidi spoke.

"How are things going Lara? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine Heidi," snapped Lara.

"Geez. Just asking," she grumbled. She turned around to the patrol.

"He's gone!"

"What do you mean Heidi," asked Lachie, running over.

"Mattie. I put him on the back seat for a second, and now he's gone!"

"Alright guys, fan out. He can't have gotten too far, he's only two." The four team members spread out in the street, calling Mattie's name over and over. As they seconds ticked by to become minutes, and the minutes passed to an hour, the team disbanded their search, and returned to the patrols.

"How hard is it for me to look after kids? God, I hope Jordan doesn't want any. I'd be a sucky parent."

"It's alright Heidi, we'll hand this over to Campbelltown police. They can keep searching." Lachie slapped her on the back and headed to the other patrol. Lara got off her mobile.

"Vince says the firies are coming shortly to clean up the petrol, we've just got to wait until they show up." The team nodded and settled themselves down, waiting. Fifteen minutes had passed when a gentleman sauntered over to the wreck, inspecting it.

"Sir," called Lara, "you need to leave."

"Just looking," he said gruffly. He pulled a cigarette out of his pocket and lit it.

"Sir, you need to step away!" The team sprinted for him, right as he accidently dropped the burning cigarette into the puddle of petrol.

"NO!" The team were knocked back by the resulting explosion. The man and the house were engulfed in flames.

"Shit! Where are those firies when you need them?" Lara was pacing.

"Chase!" Lachie pulled himself up from the ground, and sprinted toward his brother's lifeless body. Chase had been closest when the petrol-fuelled eruption had occurred, and was now lying close to the burning house, his own uniform burning rapidly.

"Chase! Chase!" Lara grabbed a fire blanket from the emergency kit in the back of the patrol and ran over to him.

"Quick, put this over him," said Lara breathlessly. Lachie threw the blanket over Chase's body, and put out the flames.

"Oh my. Chase."

"He's not breathing Lara!" Heidi raced over with a medi-kit in hand, and pulled out her oxygen tank.

"No oxygen here yet Heidi, we need to shift him first." Lara grabbed a spinal board from the truck, and her and Lachie rolled Chase onto it. Together they lifted him away from the fire, and set him down. Heidi slipped an oxygen mask over his head, and Lachie started CPR. A small wail was heard.

"Mattie!" Heidi's head shot up as the firies pulled up into the street.

"No Heidi! Leave it to the firies!"

"I can't leave him Lara! I need to find him!" Heidi ran into the burning building, the smoke intensifying. She hadn't brought her BA with her, and only had a pocket knife handy.

"Mattie?" She coughed. A scream could be heard from the back of the smashed in loungeroom. She fought her way through the smoke. A distressed cry sounded again, as she found him in a high chair. She went to lift him out, and struggled to lift him

"What?" She looked down, and realised he'd been taped into the chair. She pulled out her pocket knife, trying to free the child.

"Come on!" The flames licked at Mattie's tiny legs, and he shrieked. Heidi fought with the tape.

"Come on!" He started coughing and spluttering, and started trying to fight Heidi as he struggled for oxygen.

"Yes!" She lifted the now limp child into her arms, and ran for the door, coughing herself. As she made it out into the bright sunshine, a fire officer took Mattie from her, and slapped an oxygen mask over her face. She sucked in the oxygen gratefully, then pushed it away.

"Mattie!" Heidi put an oxygen mask over his face. He was still breathing, but only just. She could have cheered when he coughed and took a deep breath. An ambulance crew who had just arrived picked him up from her, and put him in the ambulance.

"We're going to take him to Campbelltown Hospital. Can you let the parents know?" Heidi nodded. Lara and Lachie had continued working on Chase. Heidi crawled over to him.

"Come on Chase, you can't leave me now. Who will I pick on if you're not here?" Tears fell down her sooty face. She begged him.

"Please Chase."

"Rescue Base to Rescue Portable Five, Heidi, what's going on? I can't raise the rest of the team." Heidi gulped back the tears.

"Chase was in a fire Vince. He's not looking good." Dean, who was eavesdropping near Vince, slammed his hands down on the desk and swore.

"Stay here Dean," growled Vince.

"My brother is out there dying, and you want me to stay here?" He sounded incredulous. He shook his head, and headed for his ute.

"What's his obs Heidi?"

"He's not breathing Vince!" Heidi started to hyperventilate.

"Calm down Heidi-Ho. Come on."

"What if he dies Vince? What if he doesn't make it?"


	8. 4-2: Riots Right Chapter 2

**Chapter Two-**  
Dean sped down the highway, not caring if he got booked. His little brother was in trouble, and he needed to get to him as soon as possible. He cursed drivers who got in his way, and swerved in and out of traffic that was going too slow. It felt like all that ever happened anymore was that someone in the team wound up getting injured. Maybe it was time for an in-service to brush up their skills.

"Chase, why is it you always end up in trouble?" Dean slapped the steering wheel. After 20 minutes, he arrived at the scene. The house was smouldering gently now, having been extinguished by the firies earlier.

"Chase!" Dean flung himself out of the cab of his car, and raced towards his little brother's limp body.

"Chase you idiot!" Dean took in the burns covering Chase's face, and the ones on his body.

"We've got him breathing Dean, but he's not regained consciousness. Some of the burns are minor, but the ones on his face are major. His uniform protected his body, but his face was uncovered," said Lachie.

"Why didn't you protect him Lara? You're in charge!" Dean said angrily.

"Dean, mate, it's not her fault," interrupted Lachie.

"Shut up Lachie. I should have forced Vince to let me out today. At least maybe my team would still be in one piece!" Lara stood up, tears forming in her eyes.

"At least I tried Dean!" She stormed away, over to the other patrol, eyes blurry.

"Geez Dean, when did you turn into such an arse?" Lachie was furious at his brother.

"Well, it wouldn't have happened if she'd been paying attention like she should have!" Dean caressed Chase's hair. He might have acted like Chase was a pain, but inside he really did care for him. The ambulance pulled up nearby, and they loaded Chase's unconscious body into the back. They left quickly, sirens blaring.

"Dean, you should have gone with him," said Heidi softly.

"No Heidi. I want to go talk some sense into Lara, see if she won't listen to reason." Lachie grabbed him by the arm.

"Mate, you don't want to do that."

"Why not? I'm always told when I don't perform my best. Why shouldn't she know?" He stormed off.

* * *

Lara had been standing by the patrol, trying to get some semblance of control over herself.

"Stop crying," she chided herself, "he's just concerned about Chase." Deep down though, she knew that she'd failed as a unit leader. She walked away from the patrol, not caring where she went, or where she ended up. She felt like she needed time to think, to process all that had happened. She didn't hear the footsteps behind her, until it was too late. The stranger hit her with a metal pole across the back of the head, and rendered her unconscious.

* * *

"Lara. Lara!" Dean strode over to the patrol. When he realised she wasn't standing there, he stopped, confused.

"Do you guys know where Lara is?" Lachie and Heidi replied with shakes of their head.

"I thought she was at the patrol."

"Well, she's not here now. Lara?" He noticed a note on the patrol, stuck under the windscreen wiper.

_Hope your girlfriend enjoys her headache. Next time I won't be so gentle. Ditch her Dean._

"How long has this note been here?" Heidi looked at it.

"Dunno, not long? It wasn't there earlier."

"I think Lara's in trouble." The three of them spread out.

"Lara! Lara!"

"Dean, over there! In the gully by the trees!" Dean pounded the grass as he reached Lara, face down in the grass.

"Lara! Wake up!" He rolled her over, cradling her head on his lap. She groaned, and opened her eyes.

"Hey," she said groggily.

"Hey yourself sleepy head. Do you remember your name?" She nodded, then grimaced as a knife of pain shot through her. Dean sat her up, and she leant heavily on him. He waited for her answer, and when she didn't speak, he pressed her again.

"Can you tell me what your name is?"

"Lara Knight."

"Good. That's a good sign. How's your head?" She rubbed it tenderly.

"Sore."

"Well, you were walloped pretty hard. Do you remember who did it?" She shook her head.

"Dean, I'm sorry about Chase. I'm sorry I didn't take charge the way you would have." Her usually composed face dissolved into tears, and Dean pulled her close.

"Hey, it's alright. I was out of line. I was just upset about Chase." She sobbed into his chest.

"I'm sorry Dean." He held her for a little while.

"Do you think you can get up?" She nodded. He helped her stand up, and she took a few staggering steps.

"Whoa there Lara." Dean stood next to her and pulled her arm around his shoulder, and led her over to his ute.

"Lachie, Heidi. You each take a patrol and we'll meet you back at the station."

"'Kay Dean, see you there."

"Yeah, right mate." Lachie and Heidi left, and Dean and Lara got into the cab of his ute.

"Are we okay Dean?"

"Yeah. We're okay."

* * *

Back at the office, Michelle was sorting through her emails. Jordan stuck his head in.

"Anything else that needs doing Michelle?"

"Um, the ropes need to be cleaned, and if you've got time, take a cab over to the caryard. Our new patrol arrived today, and it needs to be picked up."

"Do you mind if wait a little while til Heidi gets back? I was going to go visit Chase at Campbelltown Hospital, but if it needs doing now, I can wait."

"Well, why don't you pick up the patrol now, bring it back, and wash the ropes whilst you're waiting for Heidi to come back." He nodded, and left her office. Vince came in, sorting through the mail.

"How's the rescue going?" She asked.

"Dunno, I haven't heard back from them yet. A letter from Head Office for you here too Michelle." Vince walked out of his office, and picked up his radio.

"Rescue Base to Rescue Portable Two, Lara, how's everything going out there?"

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Base. Everything's fine Vince, they revived Chase."

"Deano, where's Lara?" Dean glanced at her in his passenger's seat.

"Come on Lara, stay awake. Vince, she's alright, someone took to her with a post, whacked her on the back of the head." Dean neglected to tell anyone about the note.

"Well then, how's Chase?"

"He's ok, got serious burns to his face. Minor burns to his body, his rescue uniform protected him. I'm waiting to hear if he's woken up yet." Vince grimaced.

"Thanks Deano, I'll let Michelle know." Michelle appeared near Vince's desk.

"Let me know what Vince?" He sighed.

"Chase is in hospital, severe burns to his face."

"Is he alright?"

"He's unconscious. His rescue uniform saved his body from most of the damage, but it's going to be a few weeks at least before his face has healed." Michelle shook her head.

"So what was your from Head Office letter about?"

"Not out here. Come into my office." They walked in together, Michelle closing the door behind them.

"They're investigating me for inappropriate conduct with Hayden Bradley."

"What did you do Michelle?"

"Nothing! I haven't done anything with him, or had anything to do with LifeBlood since they moved their operations to Queensland."

"So why do they think they know something about you two?"

"They tell me it's an anonymous tip." Michelle sat down behind her desk, and ran her hands through her hair.

"What am I going to do Vince?"

"Here's what you're going to do. You haven't done anything wrong, and they won't be able to find any dirt on. So keep your head low, and you'll be fine." Michelle's phone vibrated on her desk.

"That's James' babysitter. I'd better get it." Vince nodded and left the room.

"Stupid LifeBlood. The whole bloody lot are wankers if you ask me," he mumbled.

"Who are wankers Vince?" Jordan had just walked in.

"Just the bank Jordan. Overcharged my account again. Stupid mongrels." Jordan nodded, and disappeared back downstairs to wash the ropes. Lachie pulled up in the patrol.

"While you're washing those ropes mate, think you could do the patrol?" Jordan chucked a sponge at Lachie.

"Dream on mate. It's your job." Heidi drove the other patrol up the drive, and parked it out front.

"Hey babe!" She flounced over and gave him a peck on the cheek.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Better now you're here." He pulled her into a hug.

"Get a room you two!" Called Lachie, disappearing into the showers.

"Do you want to go down and visit Chase?"

"Has he woken up yet?" Asked Heidi.

"No, but I thought you might like to go and see him." She shook her head.

"What happened out there?" Asked Jordan gently.

"Lara was hit by someone in the back of the head. She's not seriously injured, Dean's looking after her."

"That's not it though. What else happened?"

"Dean ripped into Lara about how she sucked at taking care of the team, and how she didn't deserve to be unit leader. He was pretty harsh. She'd gone over to the patrol crying. I didn't even check on her, make sure she was ok!"

"Babe, you couldn't have. Besides, what would I have done if it had of been you who had been thumped on the back of the head?" She nodded.

"So I was thinking, do you want to go out to dinner tonight?"

"Where?"

"Our favourite little Italian restaurant in town." Heidi clapped her hands with glee.

"Oh, that sounds fantastic! What time?"

"Well, it's 4pm now. How about I pick you up at around seven?" Heidi kissed him on the cheek.

"Sounds lovely Jordan! I'll see you at seven. Love you!"

"Love you too."

* * *

**Campbelltown Hospital:**  
Dean sat next to Chase's bed, holding his bandaged hand.

"Chase, why did you run towards the explosion?" Lara walked in to the quiet hospital room, two coffee cups in hand.

"What did the doctors say?"

"He's got second degree superficial partial thickness burns to ten percent of his body. They think he should come through that ok. It's the facial burn they're worried about. It's a deep partial thickness burn, and it could progress to a third degree. They're worried about possible infection." Lara dropped into a chair next to Dean, and handed him a cup. He nodded his thanks.

"Will he wake up?"

"He woke up for a little while, but they dosed him up on painkillers. They're going to decide whether they do skin grafts or not." They sat in silence for a while, sipping their hot coffees. Dean broke the silence.

"Lara, I'm sorry that I got upset at you today. You and I both know that you're very capable of taking care of the team."

"You're forgiven Dean." They watched Chase a little longer, until they saw his fingers twitch. He opened one eye a little.

"Hey guys."

"Hey yourself. How do you feel Chasie?" Dean rubbed his brother's hand affectionately.

"Pretty smashed. What happened?"

"You ran to save the guy who dropped his cigarette, and got hit by the explosion. You copped most of it on your uniform, which protected you, but you still got burnt pretty badly."

"Oh well. At least I'll have battle scars to impress the girls." Lara laughed.

"Yeah Chase, girls love scars. Shows you're a true man." Chase paled.

"Dean," he said, retching. Dean sprang into action, passing him a vomit bag, and Chase threw up into it. He leant back against his pillows, struggling for air.

"When did you guys get here?" He slurred. Dean stood up, concerned.

"Chase, are you alright?" His breathing increased to small, rapid gasps.

"Can't breathe. Feels like my heart is racing." Lara ran outside for the nurse.

"Chase, what pain meds did they give you?" Chase coughed, trying to suck in air.

"I don't know." Dean grabbed the chart from the end of his bed.

"Chase, they gave you morphine."

"But… I'm… all…aller…"

"I know Chase. Calm down. Shhh." A nurse came walking in to the room. When she saw Chase's condition, she hurried over to his bedside table where the medications were. Chase flopped to the side, trying to get some air, his closed airways not allowing him any of the needed oxygen. He passed out.

"Chase!"


	9. 4-2: Riots Right Chapter 3

**Chapter Three-**  
Dean and Lara stood back in horror as the nurses struggled to get Chase breathing again. Lara hid her face in Dean's shirt, as he watched with shock filled eyes. The nurses swabbed his neck clean, and made an incision for the tracheostomy. They inserted the tube into his neck, and attached an air bag to it, squeezing it to force the air into Chase's lungs.

"We've got a rhythm back!" They pumped adrenaline into his IV line. His face turned a flushed pink as the oxygen flooded his lungs. Lara and Dean breathed a sigh of relief. Lara turned to Dean.

"What happened?"

"Chase developed an allergy to morphine a little while ago. I though he was wearing his ID necklace, but he mustn't have it on." Lara gulped.

"What?"

"That must have been what I ripped off his neck at the scene." She thought back to the moment when she was trying to resuscitate Chase, while Heidi was in the burning building. She had thought little of the necklace, tearing it whilst checking the burns on his body.

"You did what?"

"I'm sorry Dean. I didn't think about it. I needed to assess him, and the necklace was sticking to his skin. I thought it was better taken off, I didn't think it meant anything." Anger flashed in Dean's eyes.

"Get out."

"I'm sorry Dea.."

"Get out!" He struck her across the face. She recoiled, and with tears in her eyes, ran from the hospital room. He spoke to Chase's unconscious body.

"I don't know if I can ever forgive her for this Chase."

* * *

**Sydney:**  
Jordan and Heidi sat across from each other, hands intertwined over the table. Their orders had arrived, but they didn't care. They were too engrossed with each other.

"Heidi Wilson, I think I love you."

"I love you too Jordan Zwitkowski." They stared at each other for a little longer. Jordan spoke.

"How would you feel about becoming Mrs Zwitkowski?" Heidi just looked at him.

"What?" She asked.

"How would you feel about becoming Mrs Zwitkowksi?"

"How do I know you're not just trying to get rid of me like last time?" She smiled. He sighed, and got up from his chair, and knelt on the floor in front of her. She gasped.

"Would you, Heidi Wilson, do me the honour of becoming my wife?" She stared at him, pain in her eyes.

"Jordan, I'm sorry." Heidi ran from the restaurant, tears running down her face. Her make-up was streaking, but she didn't care.

"Heidi!" He chucked a hundred dollar bill at the waiter, and dashed outside the restaurant after her.

"Heidi! Slow down." She stumbled, but didn't stop. Jordan caught up to her, clutching her arm.

"What's wrong?" He panted.

"I don't know if I'm ready for this Jordan! What if I don't make a good wife? Or if I mess up everything? What if we find out we really hate each other?" She cried harder.

"Oh Heidi-Ho." He pulled her close, his shirt front quickly becoming stained with mascara. He stroked her hair.

"I shouldn't have just surprised you like this, I'm sorry Heidi." She gulped, trying to compose herself.

"It's not that. I like you and all…"

"But not in that way. I get it." Jordan released her.

"No, it's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"Can we go home and talk about it?" He nodded.

"Your place or mine?"

* * *

**Campbelltown Hospital:**  
Lara stood outside the main entry doors. Her cheek felt warm and swollen, and it was sore. She cried as she thought back on everything that had happened. Dean had never been violent to her before. Then again, Chase's life had hung in the balance, and almost been lost because of her. She pulled out her phone, and punched in a number. She pressed it to her ear.

"Michelle? It's Lara."

"Yes?"

"I know it's late, but I've got no-one else. Can you come and get me?"

"Where are you Lara?"

"Outside Campbelltown Hospital," she sobbed.

"What's happened?"

"I'd rather not talk about it. Please Michelle," Lara pleaded.

"You're lucky James is at Ian's tonight. I'll be there in fifteen minutes." Michelle hung up. Lara leant against the wall, trying to regain her composure, and reign in her tears. She heard the automatic doors open, and flinched.

"Lara?"

"Please Dean, just go away."

"Not until you've owned up to this. It's your fault Chase almost died in there. You took off the necklace. You didn't even check what was on it, you just ripped it off. You could have killed him!" He slapped her face again, harder than before. The whiplash from it forced her head back against the wall, knocking around her already traumatised brain.

"Dean, please!" She sobbed. He looked at her, pity in his eyes, and disappeared back inside the doors. She slumped down the wall. A car beeped its horn at her, then pulled up into a parking space nearby.

"Lara?"

"Michelle." Michelle came over and looked at Lara's face.

"What happened?"

"Dean happened." She leant over and threw up in the bushes. Michelle handed her a tissue.

"What did he do?"

"He slapped me." Michelle gasped.

"What for?"

"I almost killed Chase. I ripped of his medical alert necklace when we were trying to revive him today, and didn't put it back on him. When he came in, they gave him morphine. He almost died from anaphylactic shock Michelle, and it's all my fault." She dissolved into tears, and Michelle held her close.

"I'll take you home." Lara sniffed, and Michelle helped her up.

"Actually, I don't think you should be staying alone tonight."

"I've got no-one else Michelle." Michelle dialled her phone, and put it on loudspeaker.

"Hello?"

"Lachie, I need your help tonight."

"What's up Michelle?"

"Lara needs to stay with someone, and I hear your home alone while Chase is in hospital. Do you mind an extra houseguest?"

"Not at all Michelle. Drop her over."

"Ok, see you in twenty minutes." She turned to Lara.

"Problem solved."

"I can't impose on Lachie, Michelle."

"You can, and you will. Lachie can look after you, and I can rest with piece of mind."

"Ok."

"It's settled then. I'll drop you at Lachie's, and I'll see you in the morning."

* * *

**Sydney:  
**Settled on Jordan's couch, Jordan had his fingers wrapped through Heidi's.**  
**

"What's the big secret Heidi-Ho?" She took a deep, shaky breath.

"Do you remember the rescue that involved the rapist, a few years back? He killed his wife." He nodded.

"I had nightmares for weeks afterwards. I used to wake up screaming, thinking he was there again. I went to counselling, therapy. You name it, I went. I've had to learn to trust again, and I don't know if I can do it with you." He leant forward and kissed her head.

"Babe, I had no idea. You seemed so… together after it all happened. You should have told me."

"I didn't tell anyone, Jordan. I didn't know what to do." She shed a few tears. Jordan wiped them away with the side of his thumb.

"Heidi. No matter what happens, I will love you. I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes. Even if we're old and grey and you decide then that you want to marry me, I'll still be there." She nodded through her tears. He pulled her to his chest, and she just cried. He stroked her hair.

"I'll love you no matter what Heidi."

* * *

Michelle knocked on the door to Lachie and Chase's apartment. Lachie opened the door.

"Geez. What happened to you Lara?"

"Long story," said Michelle. She hugged Lara quickly.

"I'll see you in the morning. Get Lachie to bring you in." Lara nodded. She left quickly. Lachie closed the door, and locked it for the night.

"So. You gonna fill me in on what happened?" She sat on his couch. He made her a cup of tea, and sat next to her.

"Dean happened," she whispered. Tears started forming in her eyes.

"What do you mean 'Dean happened'?"

"I took off Chase's medic-alert necklace. I didn't mean to, but I needed to assess him after the explosion. I ripped it off without thinking, and didn't put it back on. They gave Chase morphine at the hospital, and he went into anaphylactic shock. He nearly died, and he blames me. That's why he hit me." She lost control, and started sobbing.

"Oh, Lara. Lara." Lachie felt helpless. He pulled her close in an embrace. She quietened after a while.

"You can stay in the spare room, I've got it set up for you." She nodded. He got up from the lounge, and made sure she was settled in.

"Thanks Lachie."

"It's alright Lara. Get some sleep. I'll see you in the morning." He closed her door. He went in his room, and closed the door. He felt frustrated. He wanted to hurt Dean for what he had done to Lara, how he had hurt such a precious girl. He lay in his bed, fuming over Dean, and his actions. He might not be able to change them, but he sure could protect Lara from him at least...

Lachie woke later in the night to a crash. He sat up in bed and listened. Then he heard guttural moaning.

"Lara?" Another crash. He flung the door open and headed for the spare room. He knocked on the door.

"Lara, are you ok? Lara?" The groaning was louder. He opened the door slightly, and saw Lara on the floor.

"Lara!" She was seizing on the floor, arms and legs flying everywhere. Her necklace was choking her, and Lachie stepped over her and knelt down beside her, loosening the necklace. Her eyes had rolled back into her head, and she was flopping everywhere. Lachie cleared the floor space. The best thing to do now was wait for her to come out of it. He sat next to her, hoping she'd relax soon. She came out of it after a little while, and was quite groggy.

"Lara, are you ok?"

"Hmmm."

"Have you had seizures before?"

"No." He helped her up onto the bed. He handed her a glass of water from the pitcher beside the bed.

"I feel strange. Really odd."

"Having a seizure can do that to you. Listen, if you've never had a seizure before, I need to take you to the hospital. That concussion may have done more damage than we thought." She nodded. Then she stiffened in his arms.

"Lara? Speak to me Lara." She bucked back against him, in the throes of a second seizure.

"Oh no, not again." Lachie moved Lara to the floor, and waited it out again. This time though, she didn't wake up.

"Lara?" He shook her gently.

"Lara!" This time harder.

"Lara! Come on Lara, wake up!" Lachie reached for his mobile phone, and dialled triple zero.

"Ambulance."

"What seems to be the problem sir?"

"My friend has just fallen unconscious."


	10. 4-2: Riots Right Chapter 4

**Chapter Four-**  
Rescue HQ:

Lachie walked into the office the next morning, minus Lara. Michelle stuck her head out the door, confusion written on her face.

"Where's Lara?" She asked.

"She had a seizure last night and fell into a coma. They say she has secondary impact syndrome, from a second trauma. I don't know what it was though." Michelle looked down.

"Oh. That… that could be my fault."

"What do you mean Michelle?"

"She was throwing up last night when I picked her up; I thought it was just stress. I didn't think anything of it; I was more concerned about getting her away. I think Dean might have hurt her a little more than we thought." Lachie clenched his teeth. Dean came into the office, and Lachie went straight for his throat, pushing him up against the wall.

"What the hell did you do to her?"

"Nothing! Do what?" Dean was pressed up against a wall, struggling for air.

"What did you do?"

"To Lara? Nothing! I mean, I hit her, but it was spur of the moment violence. I didn't mean to, I was just so upset about Chase."

"Mate, I'm upset about Chase, but not upset enough to hit a woman. Are you crazy?" Dean shook his head.

"Oi you two, break it up!" Vince came in. "Calm down!"

"No, he has to know," said Lachie, anger in his eyes.

"Know what?" Choked Dean, struggling for air. Lachie pushed him higher up the wall.

"Lara's in hospital. You have to tell me what you did to her."

"I slapped her once, and told her to leave."

"That's not all, is it?" Dean shook his head, the colour leaving his face.

"Lachie! Drop him!" Vince tried to pry Lachie's hand of Dean's neck.

"I… I went back outside… Tried to slap some sense into her." Lachie snarled, and released Dean. He fell to floor, sucking in lungful's of oxygen and massaging his throat.

"You idiot! How could you do that to her?"

"I didn't do it on purpose!" He yelled.

"No, and now you've put her in the hospital, in a coma." Dean looked into Lachie's eyes.

"What?" He didn't believe him.

"She's in a coma moron. Secondary impact syndrome because of you, and what you did. You slapped her hard enough that her head hit the brick wall outside." Dean looked apologetic.

"I didn't mean to. I'm sorry."

"It doesn't matter if you meant to or not, it's been done now! You shouldn't be apologising to me, you should be apologising to Lara. You did this." Vince stepped back.

"You two going to be alright today then?"

"Yeah. We'll be fine." Lachie shook himself off, and sat at his desk. Heidi and Jordan waltzed in, hand in hand. They stopped when they saw Dean being helped up by Vince.

"What happened?"

"Nothing." Dean was shaken by the news of Lara. He stuck his head into Michelle's office.

"Michelle. I'm just heading out for a little while." She motioned for him to come inside her office. He sat facing her.

"Listen Dean. What happened yesterday, it was out of line. I can't reprimand you formally, but I can give you fair warning. Anything like that happens again, you will find yourself off the rescue team very quickly." He nodded.

"I understand. It won't happen again."

"Leave your phone on. You're on call. Dismissed." He left, and got in his ute. He sat with his head resting on the steering wheel, and a lone tear rolled down his face.

"What have I done?"

* * *

Vince walked into Michelle's office, and sat down heavily on one of her office chairs.

"What are we going to do?"

"What are you going to do Vince? You're the station manager, you're supposed to keep them in line." He nodded.

"I know. I didn't even see this coming. What even happened to Lara? I feel like I'm missing some of the story here."

"Chase went into anaphylactic shock last night. The nurses gave him morphine, not knowing he was allergic to it."

"Doesn't he wear a medic-alert necklace?"

"He does, but when he was burnt in the fire, Lara tore it off so she could assess his injuries. She didn't even think to look at what was on it, and didn't think about it."

"Oh. And Dean blamed her?" Michelle nodded.

"Slapped her well too. She had a deep red handprint on her face when I picked her up last night."

"You picked her up?" Vince sounded incredulous.

"Who else was going to do it Vince? Usually she'd ring Dean. She can't do that when he's the problem." He sighed.

"What else happened?"

"Before I picked her up, Dean had been at her again, outside the hospital. He hit her hard enough for her head to hit the wall behind her. I should have realised something was wrong Vince. I should know!" He reached across and touched her on the arm.

"It's alright Michelle. She'll be ok." She wiped away the stray tears falling down her face.

"I need to get ready. I have an appointment with Head Office in a few hours, to sort out this Hayden Bradley mess." He stood up.

"Everything will be ok Michelle."

"I hope so."

* * *

**Campbelltown Hospital:**  
Dean sat next to Chase's bed. He'd woken up a few hours earlier, and they'd removed his tracheostomy once they'd decided he could breathe on his own.

"Chase, what am I going to do?"

"Apologise to her Dean," croaked Chase.

"What if she never wakes up? What if I'm the one that killed her? What will I do then? I'll be a killer!" Chase shook his head.

"She won't die Dean. Think positive. She's Lara. She'll fight to live."

"I dunno Chase. What do I say to her?"

"Confess Dean."

"Confess what?"

"Confess to the fact you love her, and that everything that happened yesterday was a mistake." Dean scoffed.

"I don't love her." Dean smiled.

"You say you don't Dean, but it's written across your face. The way you look at her, speak about her. You're smitten, and you won't admit it."

"I hate it when you're right Chase. She's in a coma though. How am I supposed to tell her?"

"Just because she's unconsciousness doesn't mean she can't hear you."

"I suppose you're right." Chase gripped Dean's hand.

"Then go!" Dean stood up, pumped.

"Ok, I'll do this!"

* * *

**Rescue HQ:**  
Heidi sat at her desk, filling in her incident report for yesterday. It was one of the longest she'd done in a while. Vince's mobile vibrated on the desk, and he answered it.

"Vince Marchello."

"What?"

"Ok, thanks for letting me know." The three remaining team members tensed, getting ready to spring into action.

"Calm down there guys. Heidi, that was the hospital. Mattie was taken from the children's ward yesterday. They don't know who."

"Really?" He nodded. She sighed.

"People these days." She reached the section in her report where she had gone back into the burning house for Mattie.

"Vince, I've just remembered something strange about yesterday."

"What is it Heidi-Ho?"

"When I went back into the house yesterday to find Mattie, I found him taped into his high-chair."

"That's not right."

"Something seems off about this Vince." He dialled a number on his phone.

"Who are you calling?"

"The police. They can continue to look for Mattie, and be on the look-out for anything suspicious."

"Thanks Vince." His desk phone jangled. Vince indicated to Heidi to pick it up.

"Hello, Rescue Special Operations."

"There's been an accident. Please! We need your help."

"Ok, give me the details." Heidi scribbled them down quickly, and hung up.

"We've got a callout!" Yelled Heidi.

"Where to?" Asked Jordan.

"Intersection in Ambarvale."

"Isn't that near Rosemeadow?"

"I think it is." She checked it quickly and nodded.

"Who are the victims?" She checked her sheet.

"Tracy and Graham Fielding."

"Aren't they Mattie's parents?"

* * *

**RPA Hospital:**  
Lara lay on the hospital bed, tubes everywhere. They had inserted a shunt into the base of her skull to relieve some of the pressure, and she hadn't woken up yet. Now they were waiting to see what sort damage had been done. Dean clutched her tiny petite hand in his own.

"Lara." He swallowed. He felt a little ridiculous talking to someone who was unconscious.

"I'm sorry for what happened yesterday. I should never have hit you. You deserve better than that from me, from anyone. I'm sorry for yelling at you yesterday, telling you that you were never good enough to be a team leader, and how I should have been in charge. No-one can protect Chase all his life. I couldn't have even saved him if I'd been there." He felt a tear roll down his cheek, and brushed it away. He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

"Vince?"

"Deano, we've got a callout at Ambarvale. Lachie, Heidi and Jordan are heading out there now. We need a fourth pair of hands. Can you get over there?"

"Sure Vince." He hung up. He held her hand for a few moments longer. Hoping she would wake up. Wanting her to be ok.

"Please Lara. Wake up." He stood up, and was about to release her hand, when he felt her hand tighten.

"Lara? Come on Lara, wake up." He let go of her hand and ran to the door, calling a nurse. Her vitals spiked, and he came back over, gripping her hand tightly.

"Come on Lara, come back to me," he pleaded. She opened her eyes, and blinked groggily.

"Hey. That's it Lara. Come on, stay awake." She tried to sit up, but Dean forced her back down. She looked at him questioningly.

"You've been in a coma. Take your time before you try sitting up." She nodded. The nurse entered the room, and checked her chart, updating it.

"You're looking better," she commented.

"Lara, I'm sorry. I have to go. We've got a rescue and they need me to help." He kissed her on the forehead, smoothing back her hair. He took in the deep hand mark that he had left yesterday.

"I'll be back later, to see how you are, ok?" She nodded. He walked over to the doorway.

"Dean?" He turned and looked at her.

"I love you."


	11. 4-2: Riots Right Chapter 5

**Chapter Five-**  
Dean floored his accelerator, racing against time to get to the accident scene. It was like déjà vu all over again as he wove his way through traffic on the freeway. Heidi, Jordan and Lachie were already at the scene, and had started treating. As he pulled up, Heidi ran up to meet him, talking as soon as he opened his door.

"We've got two trapped in the silver Commodore, one unconscious in the blue Honda, and a pedestrian patient." Dean nodded as he jumped out of the ute, and slammed the door.

"We're dealing with the two in the Commodore; the pedestrian probably needs looking at next." Heidi sprinted back to silver car, assisting Jordan and Lachie. Dean grabbed his medi-kit, and crouched next to the pedestrian.

"Can you tell me your name?"

"Kendra Bradfield." She was bleeding, but nothing major. He stemmed the blood-flow with a gauze pad.

"Any pain?" She shook her head.

"Just the cut."

"Well, it's deep, but I don't think it'll need stitches. I'd still get it checked out anyway."

"Thanks. Can I ask what your name is?"

"Dean Gallagher."

"Thanks Dean." He helped her stand, and moved her to the side of the road.

"Heidi!" He yelled. "How are you going over there?"

"We've got an impalement injury, and a severed artery that's going to cause us some problems if we move the patient."

"Ok, let Vince know, and he can alert the hospital and the ambos to be on standby." She nodded, and continued working on her patient.

"Can you take the unconscious patient?" She called. He didn't answer, but headed straight over to the car. The side door had been almost obliterated when the silver vehicle had slammed into it, and the driver was trapped. Dean stuck his head inside the car, and noticed a gun sitting on the passenger seat. It was a standard issue police hand gun.

"Heidi," he called, "do you know the names of our victims?"

"We've got Tracy and Graham Fielding in this car, and that is a David Bauer." Dean grabbed his radio.

"Vince, what details can you find me on a David Bauer?"

"Give me a second Deano." Vince tapped out the keys on his computer.

"Sergeant David Ba…"

"Vince, we've got a cop here, and I think he was chasing that other car." Dean wrapped a collar around David's neck, and set about prying off the driver door to get him out.

"Heidi, can you spare someone? I need help over here!" She dispatched Jordan over to Dean.

"What's up?"

"Grab a combi-tool. We need to get him out of here now!" Jordan ran over to the patrol and pulled out the needed tool, and raced it back over to Dean.

"What's going on?"

"He's a cop Jordan. We need to get him out and find out why he was here. Something seems odd about all this." Jordan started to tool, and began the task of separating the door from the car. After five minutes, he pulled the door free. Dean pulled David out of the car, and laid him on the road, being careful of the shattered glass.

"He's coming around!" Jordan and Dean hunkered down near him.

"Sergeant Bauer? You've been in an accident." David groaned.

"Sir, we need you to tell us what you were doing here," said Jordan.

"They took him," he whispered.

"Took who?"

"The boy," he slurred. They looked at each other, and Jordan ran over to Heidi and Lachie's patients.

"Where is he?" He asked them impatiently.

"Where's who, Jordan?" Asked Heidi.

"The boy. Mattie. The police officer said they had taken him. Where is he?" They just smiled at him. Heidi pulled away from them, horror in her eyes.

"Lachie, search their car. There has to be something in here." Lachie moved away from Graham Fielding, and opened the doors of the car. Nothing. He popped the boot open.

"Nothing here, mate. Just some receipts," Lachie called, head shoved inside the trunk of the car.

"What are they for?" Asked Jordan. Lachie shuffled through them, reading.

"Large suitcase, duct tape. They filled a prescription for sleeping tablets today. Nothing odd." Jordan looked around.

"The lake."

"What?" Asked Lachie.

"The lake!" Jordan turned to Tracy and Graham. Jordan turned to the pair still trapped in the car.

"You've got to tell me where he is." Tracy lifted a shaking hand, and pointed toward the lake.

"In there." Jordan grabbed his radio.

"Vince, we need police backup out her now, and police divers to assist."

"Copy that Jordan, what's going on?"

"They've dumped the kid in the lake."

* * *

**Rescue HQ:**  
Everyone in the office scrambled to get their things. Michelle and Vince were heading to the scene in Ambarvale, Michelle to ward off the media, and Vince to co-ordinate operations. They ran out to Michelle's car. There was something jammed under her windscreen wiper.

"Is that a note?" Vince asked. She pulled it off, and read it aloud.

_This is your first warning. Stay away from my man._

"Who did you piss off?"

"Dunno Vince." They climbed into her car and sped away. Michelle felt rattled by the note. She wasn't seeing anyone at the moment, and wasn't quite sure who she had to stay away from. She shook the feeling of confusion, and put on her composed face, ready to take on the media. They arrived twenty minutes later, the media swarming like flies. Michelle battled them away, sufficing them with small, non-committal answers. Vince set-up a command station for all the rescue teams. Dean jogged over to him.

"What's the sit-rep Dean?"

"Police have taken both Tracy and Graham into custody. They're sifting through the pond at the moment, trying to find him. We don't know how long he's been under there. It's not looking good." Vince nodded.

"What kind of psycho tries to kill their kid, and then dumps them in a lake?"

"Your guess is as good as mine Vince." The tension in the air thickened, and an air of suspense hung over everyone. A cry sounded out from the diving teams as they pulled something from the water. Everybody came gathering around to see it. It was just an old chest. The police team dragged it from the water, and the divers went back to their search. The police opened it, hoping they wouldn't find a child inside.

"It's just full of water. Someone dumping it to get rid of it," called an officer. Dean shook his head, and watched the divers, waiting, anticipation on his breath.

Time was running out for Mattie.

Ten minutes later, the police team found the suitcase. They pulled it up on the bank, and popped the locks. Inside lay Mattie Fielding, duct tape across his mouth, hands tied, looking for all the world like he was sleeping peacefully. It was a painful sight to see.

"No!" Heidi screamed. Jordan tried to hold her back, but to no avail. She ran to the suitcase, lifting the tiny boy out of it.

"Jordan, help me! We can save him!" The tears streamed down her face as everybody watched on, unable to move. Jordan followed her over and crouched down next to her.

"Heidi." She didn't look at him.

"Heidi, babe. It's too late." He wrapped his arms around her shaking shoulders, and lifted her up. Vince and Michelle cleared a path through the crowd, and Jordan led her away. He sat her down on the curb, and held her tight as she cried out all her emotions.

"This isn't fair Jordan. Why did this happen? Why didn't we see this coming? He's only a little boy, we could have saved him!" He didn't answer, he just held her close. Eventually he spoke.

"Sometimes there's no way of saving a person. Sometimes it doesn't feel like justice has been served when a rapist doesn't die, but a small innocent child does. Rescue is about saving people, no matter what they've done. We don't have the ability to see the future and fix things before it happens. We sometimes miss signs that alert us to other things, but we're only human. There is only so much we can do before it becomes inhumanely impossible. You can't save everyone Heidi. It's just not possible." She cried harder into his shirt. Jordan stroked her hair, letting her cry as much as she needed. After a while, she looked up at him, red-faced and tearstained.

"When did you become so wise?"

* * *

After a debrief back at Rescue HQ, the team split to go their separate ways. Jordan and Heidi were spending the night together, Lachie was going to see Chase, and Dean was seeing Lara. Lachie arrived at Campbelltown hospital.

"Chasie, bro. You look like someone totalled you!"

"Yeah, thanks Lachie," scowled Chase.

"So when are the setting you loose from here, hey?"

"Maybe tomorrow if I'm lucky. They're not doing any skin grafts, as long as I take care of the facial burn, and monitor it for possible infection."

"That'll be easy for you Chasie. Vince will stick you on desk duty, and all you'll have to do to keep yourself occupied is look at your ugly face." Lachie laughed, Chase punched him lightly.

"So how's Lara?" The air of laughter in the room died, and the mood turned sombre.

"She's alright. She came out of the coma yesterday. They're assessing her every hour, checking her mental function."

"Did he do it?"

"Do what?"

"Did Dean apologise?"

"I've got no idea. I haven't spoken to him since our fight."

"What fight?" Asked Chase. He felt a little behind on the current turn of events at Rescue. Lachie filled him in on the heated discussion that had occurred earlier. Chase reprimanded his own brother.

"You shouldn't have done that Lachie."

"I know Chase, but it's Lara. I mean, anyone can see he's totally head-over-heels for her."

"Yep. Everyone except Dean."

* * *

**Sydney:**  
Jordan and Heidi sat snuggled together on his couch, watching a movie. After a while, Heidi broke the silence, and looked up into Jordan's eyes.

"Hey babe."

"Mmm?"

"I think I might be ready."

"Ready for what?" She looked at him. He stared back, confusion in his mind.

"Ask me again." The lights came on as he realised what she was talking about. He moved her along the couch, and dashed into his bedroom. He came back holding a small white box. He bent on one knee in front of her.

"Heidi Wilson."

"Yes?"

"Will you marry me?"


	12. 4-2: Riots Right Chapter 6

**Chapter Six-**  
**RPA Hospital:**  
Dean sat next to Lara's bed, massaging her hand.

"So how are you feeling?"

"Oh, you know. Little tired, but definitely on the mend. How did the rescue go today?"

"We lost a little boy. His parents drugged him and put him in a suitcase, and threw it into a pond. Almost killed a police officer too." She took his hand in both of hers.

"I'm sorry about that Dean." He looked in her eyes.

"I think it hurt Heidi the most. She was the one who rescued him twice, then to have him taken away by no fault of her own. She was crushed by it."

"Is she ok now?"

"Jordan's looking after her. Speaking of people being looked after, I've arranged for you to stay at Lachie's and Chase's for the next couple of days when you get out." She looked at Dean, a pained expression on her face.

"Why Dean?"

"Lachie doesn't trust me to stay alone with you, and he doesn't want you home on your own. So you have to stay with him, or never leave here." She giggled.

"I suppose I'll have to stay at Lachie's then, won't I?" She teased.

"You know Dean, I meant what I said earlier. I do love you. I always have, I've just never been game enough to admit it." He looked down. When he spoke, his own voice was thick with emotion.

"I've felt the same way ever since I first laid eyes on you."

* * *

**Rescue HQ:**

A week later, Heidi and Jordan waltzed into the office, hand in hand. Lara had been released a few days earlier, and was catching up on paperwork. She practically squealed when she saw Heidi.

"Show me, show me, show me!" Heidi held out her left hand, wiggling her fingers.

"Wow, it's beautiful Heidi!" Michelle came out of her office and hugged Heidi.

"Congratulations Heidi."

"What's this I hear about my Heidi-Ho getting engaged?" Boomed Vince's voice as he came up the stairs.

"It's true Vince." He hugged her tight, then slapped Jordan on the back.

"'Bout time mate." Jordan grinned. Chase came up the stairs next, Dean and Lachie close behind.

"Chase!" Heidi ran to him and nearly bowled him down the stairs, hugging him tight.

"Geez Heidi. What have I missed?"

"Jordan asked me to marry him."

"And you said yes?" Jordan put his hand on Chase's back.

"Sorry mate, guess you're not the fall back guy anymore!" They laughed.

"Guess you won't be a bachelor anymore Jordan. You're the first one of us to actually take the leap of faith and ask the woman to marry them." Lachie was enjoying this far more than he should.

"You can't say much mate! You were about to get married, and pulled out at the last minute!" Michelle left the team celebrating Heidi's news, and collected the mail from downstairs. As she sifted through the letter's, an unfamiliar address popped up. She put the rest of the mail on her desk and opened it.

_You women stay away from my man. This letter is your final warning. Go near him again, and you won't know what hit you. Next time Lara may not be so lucky, or Michelle, maybe James won't be so safe. Don't say you haven't been warned. Xx._

Michelle dropped the letter on her desk as if it had burned her. She picked up her desk phone and dialled with shaky hands.

"Ian? I need your help."

* * *

Vince had gone downstairs to answer the door. He came up with a girl in tow.

"Deano, this girl says she knows you. Wants to talk to you about something?" Dean looked confused, and led her into the meeting room, and closed the door.

"Hi."

"Hi." He looked at her, hoping to spark a memory. Nothing.

"Forgive my asking, but who are you?"

"Kendra Bradfield. You treated my leg wound at an accident a week ago?" The lights came on.

"Ah yes. I remember now. How can I help you?"

"Well actually, I was wondering if I could repay you. Drinks tonight at the bar? Nothing fancy, it's not a date or anything, just a way for me to say thanks." He thought about it long and hard.

"Yeah, ok. I'll meet you about seven?" She nodded.

"Thank you. I'll see you there!" She flounced out the door. Lara was waiting outside.

"Who was that?"

"Nobody."

"You going out for drinks tonight with nobody are you?" His face flushed.

"You can come with if you want."

"I might just do that Dean Gallagher. Keep an eye on you, hey?"

* * *

Dean and Lara sat in the bar, Dean nursing a beer, Lara holding a half-finished cocktail. Kendra appeared.

"Hi Kendra. Hope you don't mind, but I brought Lara with me tonight. She could use a night out for a change." Kendra looked slightly downcast, but covered it quickly.

"Hi. I'm Kendra."

"Lara Knight."

"So how do you two know each other?"

"Dean and I work together at rescue." Kendra looked at her oddly.

"I don't recall you being at the rescue the other day." Lara shook her head.

"I've been out of action for the past week, and I'm getting back up on my feet." Lara and Kendra bent their heads in conversation. After a few hours, they got up to leave the bar.

"Leaving so soon?" Asked Kendra.

"Some of us have work in the morning," replied Lara. Dean and Lara walked outside the bar doors. A person in a hood approached them, and grabbed Lara.

"Hey!" Yelled Dean. The man continued clutching Lara's arm, pulling her towards him. She kicked and screamed, catching Dean in the nose. He swore, and went for Lara's attacker again. The stranger then let go of her arm and bolted.

"Oi!" Dean sprinted after him, leaving Lara alone. She waited for a few minutes, then someone appeared out of the dark, grabbed her, and pushed her into a van. They drove away. Dean came back, panting slightly.

"He got…. Lara? Lara!"

_Out of their hiding place in the shadows a hooded stranger appeared… Waiting… Watching… Knowing…_


	13. 4-3: Crazed Chapter 1

_EPISODE 4.3 – Crazed._

Disclaimer – I don't own the Rescue Series, but miss it dearly since it left TV. This is Episode Three, and follows on from Season Four, Episode Two – Riots Right. It is recommended you read the first and second episodes before continuing on with this one.

* * *

**Chapter One-**  
"Tell me you don't love him!" Lara screamed in agony.

"I don't love him. I don't love Dean!" The tormentor pressed the rag full of caustic chemicals against Lara's skin. She felt the heat course through it, and whimpered as the pain shot through her arm.

"Liar!" they hissed. Lara felt her skin blister and burn.

"Say you don't love him!"

"What else can I say? I've said it already! I don't love him!" A knife was pressed against Lara's wrists.

"Say it clearer Lara. I need to really feel it. Say it with some feeling and emotion." A tear rolled down Lara's face. It was soon followed by more. She sucked in a deep, gasping breath.

"I… don't love Dean Gallagher." The knife was pushed down hard, drawing blood.

"Still didn't believe it. Sorry." Her attacker slapped her hard across the face. Lara sobbed.

"How else can I tell you I don't love him?" Her tormentor stopped for a moment, and Lara took relief in the brief pause. She was bound to a chair. Her attackers face was covered so she couldn't identify them, and their voice masked.

"More emotion. I need to feel it in the delivery. It seems to me like you don't believe you don't love him. After all, maybe he doesn't love you? If he did, he'd be here now, saving you. But he's not." They laughed maniacally. Lara sobbed harder.

"Try one more time. Maybe this time I'll believe you." She pulled in a lungful of air, and tried for a third time.

"I don't love Dean Gallagher." She closed her eyes. A metal rod made contact with her shins, and she howled in pain.

"I don't think I'll ever believe you."

* * *

**Rescue HQ:**

Dean walked in the next morning, alone. Everyone was gathered around in Michelle's office, and Ian Johnson was there. He stuck his head in.

"What's going on?" Ian looked at him, taking in his swollen and bruised nose.

"Have you heard from Lara?" He asked. Dean shook his head.

"She's not come in, and we can't get in contact with her. We tried her apartment building, and her neighbours say she never came home last night," said Michelle.

"We went out for drinks at a bar. When we left, some guy tried to grab her. She kicked and screamed, caught me in the face with her feet. Then he let her go. I chased him down the road, maybe a kilometre, and then he disappeared. When I came back, she was gone. I thought that maybe she'd just caught a cab home instead." Michelle shook her head.

"Do you know what the guy looked like?" Asked Ian.

"He was hooded. Couldn't really see his face." Ian looked at Michelle.

"Dean, have you gotten any odd notes recently?" She asked.

"Come to think of it, there was one the day I went out to see Chase, after he'd been burnt. It was something along the lines of 'hope your girlfriend enjoys her headache. Next time I won't be so gentle,' and then something about ditching her."

"Do you still have the note?"

"I chucked it into one of my desk drawers. If you give me five minutes, I can look for it."

"Thanks Dean." Michelle rubbed her hands over her face.

"What's going on?"

"I got a threatening letter yesterday." Dean was angry.

"What? Who from?" He demanded.

"We're not sure who from. The return address is fake, and the letter is typed."

"What did it say?" Michelle pulled it out from her drawer.

"'You women stay away from my man. This letter is your final warning. Go near him again, and you won't know what hit you. Next time Lara may not be so lucky, or Michelle, maybe James won't be so safe. Don't say you haven't been warned. Xx.' That's it."

"Let me find that letter for you."

* * *

It was quiet. Lara was on her own, to suffer the pain being inflicted upon her. She heard footsteps, and opened her eyes. They were back.

"So, have you thought a little more into this… theatrical act?" She nodded her head.

"Are you ready to give it another try?" She nodded again. They pulled up their tools of torture, and waited. Lara let the waterworks start first, letting tears flow down her cheeks.

"I never loved him. I only ever pretended to so I could get him hanging onto my every word, and then dump him like he's dumped every other girl he's ever been with." She paused, waiting.

"Hmmm. More believable." They reached forward with the knife, cutting her wrists again, deep enough to scar, but not enough that she would die. Lara watched as the blood welled up from the wounds.

"We need to leave a mark for Dean. So he remembers that you aren't as pretty as he thinks you are." They pulled her head back.

"Just remember that you aren't as pretty as you think you are."

* * *

**Rescue HQ:**

"Any news?" Dean yelled up the stairs. He was washing the patrols. He needed something to keep his hands busy, and that was the best he could do without leaving the premises.

"Not yet Deano." Called Vince. He was calling in favours with every cop, ambo and firie he knew, just asking them to keep their eyes peeled for her.

"How does someone just disappear like that? No-one asking questions?" Asked Heidi. She was sitting in Michelle's office, lying on Jordan's lap.

"I've no idea Heidi," answered Michelle. Her phone rang.

"Hello?"

"It's been revoked?" She nodded. After a while she spoke again.

"Thanks Chantelle." She put the phone on the receiver.

"What was that about?" asked Jordan.

"Head office just withdrew the paperwork for the complaint." Heidi and Jordan looked at each other.

"What complaint Michelle?"

"The anonymous one that implied inappropriate conduct with Hayden Bradley and LifeBlood."

"That's crazy! We haven't heard from that lot since they moved their base of operations from Sydney to Queensland."

"Exactly. So where did the complaint come from, and whom?"

* * *

Lara felt her head being ripped back again, and moaned.

"I thought you might like a haircut," said her attacker. They pulled her hair roughly back, and with a snip of the scissors, cut her hair shorter than what it had been before.

"Now to take away some of that prettiness. It's wasted on you." Lara dreaded to think what would come next. A wallop across her back soon told her. A hot metal rod was being used to both injure her, and scar her. They pressed it against her flesh, hard, and Lara screamed in suffering. After they'd finished, they brought out the knife again. Lara hated that knife. As it was used to cut her skin again and again, Lara started to envision dying. At least there would be no more pain. With a final cut made on her skin, her attacker started untying her. Two burly men came over, their faces masked as well.

"Take her to the van," the main attacker ordered. A blindfold was put roughly over her eyes, and then she was dragged out to the vehicle, and thrown in. They started the engine and drove for what seemed like hours, her tumbling around in the back. They'd taken most of her clothes when she first came in, and had just bundled her up in a blanket. When the van stopped, she hoped whatever they were going to do would be quick and painless. The men slid open the door and dragged her out roughly, not caring if they hurt her.

"Dump her in the alley. See if her precious Dean Gallagher cares for her now."

* * *

**Rescue HQ:**

They sat around in the office. It was late, and none of them really wanted to leave until they had some information on what was going on with Lara. Ian sat at Michelle's desk, using her phone to talk to colleagues. Everyone else sat around the office, looking at boring paperwork. Heidi was the one to break the silence.

"Why aren't we out there looking? Why are we sitting here doing nothing?"

"Where would you like to start looking? We have no clue as to where she could be. Yes, looking is a good idea, but not if you don't know where to start." Michelle felt harried, rushed, like she was missing something from the bigger picture. Jordan pulled Heidi back down onto his lap. She buried her face into his shoulder.

"I think something's happened to her Jordan. Something bad." He rubbed his hand over her back. Ian came rushing out of the office.

"We've had a report of a women partially matching Lara's description wandering around two suburbs away." Michelle waved her hand, and the team were running down the stairs, jumping in the patrols.

When they got to the location, they scattered, searching the streets for Lara. When they came up empty, they turned to Ian.

"Well, where is she?" Demanded Dean.

"It wasn't her. Sergeant Jenkins just messaged me to let me know." His phone rang in his hands, and he answered it.

"Where?"

"Paramedics?"

"We'll be there shortly." He closed his phone with a snap.

"One of the security guards nearby has found a women lying in the alley, almost identical to Lara's description." Ian climbed back into the patrols, and the team sped there.

* * *

It was quiet where she was lying. It smelt like stale, rotting garbage, and the pain was still there, but at least there wasn't any more forthcoming. She felt the dagger's of pain from her wrists and legs, and moaned. All she wanted to do was sleep, get away from all this pain. She whimpered as she tried to sit up, but the burns across her back wouldn't allow her. She rolled over onto her stomach, pulling herself along, groaning every time she brushed against one of the numerous burns on her arms. She had to get out of the alley if she wanted to be seen, although, in her current condition, she wasn't sure how she looked to the casual onlooker. She made it to the end of the alley, where it connected to the street, and just lay there.

"Please Dean. I need you…"

* * *

Dean floored the patrol, and skidded to a halt outside the arcade. The security guard was waiting for them, cigarette in his mouth.

"She's out the back. I sure hope it's the girl you're looking for. She ain't looking too pretty either." The team ran through the games arcade, scattering teens everywhere. Johnson flashed his police badge, and everyone moved out of their way very quickly. Dean flung open the door.

"Lara?" He called. Nothing. They fanned out in the alley.

"Dean!" Heidi yelled, crouching down. He ran to her, medi-kit bouncing on his back. He slid to a halt, and dropped down next to Heidi. Lara's tortured body lay in front of him, confronting him with slashed wrists, burns and bruises. He sat with his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry Lara."


	14. 4-3: Crazed Chapter 2

**Chapter Two-**  
Dean rode in the ambulance with Lara, holding her hand as they covered cuts with gauze pads, and burns with dressings.

"What happened?" She shook her head. She was in shock, and he knew he had to try and keep her talking. He kept at the conversation, until she snapped.

"Just leave me alone Dean." He drew back, hurt and confused. She shook her hand out of his. He sat back in the ambulance, wishing he were anywhere else but here. The tears rolled down Lara's face.

"I'm sorry Dean." They arrived at the hospital and took her straight to the emergency ward. They assessed her and admitted her almost instantly. Dean hung around long enough to tell everyone what room she was in, and then disappeared into the dark night.

Michelle and Heidi arrived a few hours later. The nurse had told them some of what had happened, and they asked Jordan to stay outside her room. Michelle walked in first.

"Oh, Lara." Lara's eyes welled up, and she burst out sobbing. Michelle crossed to her bed, and held her close, realising her need to just let it all out. Heidi came in next, and was unsure of what to do. Michelle motioned her over, and they sat down on either side of Lara's bed.

"What happened, Lara?" Asked Heidi, concern dripping from her voice.

"Dean had run after the guy who tried to grab me, and another stranger came up behind me, grabbed me and shoved me in a van. They took me somewhere and tortured me." She tried to reach for a tissue, but with the pain in her back, couldn't extend her arms far enough. Heidi leant over and put the tissue box on the bed and sat back, waiting.

"I didn't know what to do. They wanted me to say I didn't love Dean over and over again. They brought in a man and he did… he did horrible things." Her voice cracked and Michelle caressed her forehead.

"And they didn't want me to be so beautiful. They wanted Dean to despise my looks and leave me." She cried harder and this time, Heidi was the one to draw her close.

"We're going to get the guy Lara. Ian's working with the police, and they're going to find them and put them away." Michelle tried to comfort her. She swallowed, trying to re-compose herself.

"I need to see Dean. Do you guys know where he is?" They both shook their heads.

"No. He left just after he told us where you were."

"I really need to see him. Can you guys find him for me?" They exchanged glances with each other.

"Please?"

* * *

Dean kicked a rock along the road where he was walking. Cars flashed by, but they were becoming less frequent. A car honked its horn, and he ignored. Next thing he knew, the car was stopping in front of him. Kendra Bradfield got out.

"Dean? What are you doing?" He shook his head. He felt numb, no feelings. He just wanted to sleep. Kendra took him by the arm, and led him to her car.

"Come on. I'll take you home." She buckled him in, and drove away quickly. After ten minutes they pulled up in front of his house. He went to just get out and hoped she would leave, but she followed him in.

"I want to make sure you're ok." He nodded, unlocking the door. She watched him walk in the house. He sat upon the couch, not moving. She walked right in the door.

"I'll get as a glass of wine." He nodded dumbly. She poured two glasses, her back turned to him. She came and sat next to him, handing him the cup. He drank deeply, wanting to drown out everything that had happened in the day. She sipped hers. He started to feel blank, spaced out, and then he hit the floor, laughter reverberating around him as he blacked out.

He awoke the next morning, a pounding headache, nausea roiling in his stomach. He groaned. A body shifted next to him, and Kendra Bradfield's head appeared from under the covers.

"Good morning darling. How are you feeling today?" He answered her by sprinting for the bathroom, just making as his stomach emptied itself.

"Oh baby. I'll make you something to fix that." Kendra padded out of his bathroom, and he heard her in the kitchen. He picked up his phone and messaged Michelle.

_I've been drugged. I need Ian's help_. She replied quickly.

_Where are you?_

_At ho_. Kendra came in, and snatched his phone off him. She bumped the send button by accident as she handed him a glass.

"Drink this honey. It'll make you feel better." He drank it, and started throwing up again.

"Oh baby, I really think you should stay home from work today. You sound like you're really ill." She walked back out of the room. Dean crawled back to his bed, sweat pouring off his body. He heard a knock on the door and Chase's voice.

"Hey, I'm here to pick up Dean for work. Who are you?"

"I'm Dean's girlfriend Kendra. He never mentioned me?" Chase shook his head.

"Um… no. 'Fraid not." He tried to get inside.

"Uh-uh. You can't come in. Dean's really sick. Can you let Michelle know he won't be coming in today?" Ian walked up behind Chase.

"You!" He snarled. She dropped her guard and ran. Ian pushed Chase aside and tore after her. Chase ran inside, and opened Dean's door. He found Dean on his bed, sweating profusely, eyes glazed, breathing rapidly.

"Shit Dean, what did she do to you?" He pulled his medi-kit of his back. Ian came back in, panting.

"Did you get here?"

"She got away. But I can put a warrant out for her arrest." He looked at Dean.

"What's wrong with him?"

"He's been drugged. Can you call us an ambulance? If we don't get his heart slowed down, he could go into cardiac arrest." Ian ran for the phone.

"Come on Dean. Stay with me." Dean was starting to shake as Chase checked him over. He was thankful when he heard the sirens of the approaching ambulance. They came in and put Dean on a stretcher.

"We'll take him to RPA." Chase nodded, and followed them out the door. Ian was sitting in his car with the door open.

"Will he be ok?"

"Yeah. He'll pull through. He's a Gallagher." Ian nodded.

"Good luck finding her Ian."

"Well, we have some leads. We think she might be the one who tortured Lara."

* * *

**Rescue HQ:**

"Team, we've got an MVA! Car versus petrol tanker. Car has flipped onto its roof, and the tanker is leaking petrol. Jake Hudson and the firies will meet you there! Go!" The team raced down the stairs, and drove off, sirens blaring. Jordan and Heidi were paired together again, and were talking while they were travelling.

"Have you thought any more about what you want for the wedding?"

"Not yet Jordan. I've got to get used to the idea of being engaged first! I want to throw a little party, invite friends, catch up, and let them know the news. It seems like all we ever do is work." He nodded.

"You do whatever you want to babe." He leant over and kissed her.

"Do you want to invite some of your old mates?"

"Nah, they're a little uncouth. Stick to your friends and the rescue team. We all get along really well." They arrived at the scene, Jake Hudson directing teams.

"Bout time you guys showed up. Where's Gallagher?"

"In hospital."

"Well, we've got a victim trapped in the car, and the tanker driver needs some oxygen. No sparks!" Jordan and Heidi dashed for the car. The roof had been compacted slightly, and most of the glass had shattered.

"Help me please!" Begged the young man. His arm was dangling crazily, and was bent at an odd angle.

"My arm, please." Jordan grabbed a splint, and moved to tape the arm to it. The man screamed as Jordan touched it. Heidi handed the man a green whistle, and he sucked on it deeply, calming down almost instantly. Jordan finished splinting him up, and then undid his seatbelt. Lachie and Chase had arrived by then, and Chase brought him a spine-board whilst Lachie looked after the tanker driver. Heidi and Jordan strapped their patient to the board, and carried him over to the waiting ambulance. Lachie was trying to get the patient out of the tanker cabin, and had grabbed a combi-tool. For Heidi and Jordan, the next five minutes were the slowest of their life. As the tool hit the cabin, a solitary spark flew off it, igniting the petrol. It lit almost instantly. Lachie jumped off the tanker and rolled back, trying to put out the fire on his uniform. The firies stepped forward and started to try and kill the fire. Jake dropped a fire blanket onto Lachie to put out the flames.

"Idiot!" he snarled. Jake ordered everyone out of the hot zone as the tanker took on more flames. With a boom, it exploded into a fiery inferno, taking the driver with it. Heidi turned away, and Jordan held her. Jake came tearing over.

"You idiots. I thought I told you no sparks!"

* * *

**RPA Hospital:**

Dean struggled to bring his eyes into focus on the stark walls that were his hospital room. He heard a knock on the door. It was Michelle.

"Are you up for a visitor?" He nodded. She opened the door wider and wheeled Lara in.

"Hey," she said quietly.

"How are you?" He croaked. Michelle sat at the side of the room.

"A little sore physically, but I'll heal. It's the psychological side they're worried about. I have to see a shrink for the next couple of months before I'm allowed back on the team." She looked down at her hands.

"I'm sorry Dean."

"For what Lara?"

"For not being beautiful." She cried into her chest. He reached a hand out and lifted up her chin.

"Hey. Look at me." She looked up at him reluctantly, tears staining her already scarring face.

"I think you're beautiful no matter what." She cried harder. He looked at Michelle for help. She came over and hugged Lara, and squatted down next to her.

"You can tell him. It's alright." She sniffled, and wiped her eyes with the heels of her hands.

"You can tell me Lara. I won't be angry or anything."

"I'm frightened Dean. I'm frightened of the world today. I can't even fathom going back outside anymore because I'm scared of what's going to happen. I can't face the thought of leaving this hospital, because I'm safe, and I feel secure here. I don't feel safe anymore Dean." She sobbed harder. Michelle gripped her hand, and looked up at Dean.

"Lara. No matter what happens, I will always be there for you. No matter what. I will protect you with my own life." She just cried. She looked at Michelle, who spoke for her.

"She doesn't feel like she's worth being loved by anyone any more. She doesn't feel like she deserves it." He looked at Lara.

"You deserve the world on a silver platter Lara." As he caressed her hand, Michelle felt it the ideal time to leave. It was getting late, and she needed to get home and relieve the baby-sitter. As she crossed to her car, she saw the note on it.

_I told you to stay away from my man. You didn't listen, did you? Well, now it's your turn._ A thud on the ground indicated to Michelle that someone had just jumped down, and she swung around. A metal rod came swinging around, and caught her in the back of the head. She crumpled. Her attacker sniggered.

"Gotcha."


	15. 4-3: Crazed Chapter 3

**Chapter Three-**  
"Jordan?" Heidi was lying on his bed with him. They were enjoying a quiet night together.

"Mm?"

"Do you mind if I stayed the night?" He kissed the top of her head.

"Not at all babe. Why?"

"I just don't want to be home alone. What with Lara being tortured, I don't want to be next. I want to be here in your safe arms." He sought out her lips, and kissed her. She smiled at him.

"You can stay as long as you want."

* * *

Ian awoke to his phone ringing.

"Hello?" He said blearily.

"Mr Johnson, Ms Letourneau hasn't come home, and I really need to go. Can you come and collect James?" Ian sat up in bed.

"Cindy, what time was she supposed to be home?"

"Um, about four hours ago." He swore at himself, and madly tried to dress one handed.

"I'll be there in about twenty minutes." He hung up, and continued the task of dressing. He arrive nineteen minutes later at Michelle's door, and knocked. Cindy opened it.

"Thank goodness," she exclaimed upon seeing him.

"Did you try ringing her?" Cindy nodded.

"No answer. It went to voicemail."

"Ok Cindy, thanks. I'll see you next week." He paid her a little extra for her overtime, and she left. James was asleep in the crib, sucking his thumb peacefully. Ian grabbed a blanket off Michelle's bed, and settled himself upon the couch.

When he awoke the next morning, and Michelle still hadn't arrived home, concern began gnawing at his mind. He could hear James squalling in his crib, and went into the nursery.

"Hey little man. Guess you're coming to work with me today hey?" James cooed and gurgled at Ian. He dressed him, and packed his bag, and headed to work. He rang Vince on the way.

"Hello, Vince Marchello."

"Vince, have you heard from Michelle?"

"No. Why?"

"She didn't come home last night."

"Who's got James?"

"I do. Listen, can you let me know if you hear from her?"

"Sure thing Ian." They both hung up. Ian cooed at James.

"Can you tell me where mummy is Jamie?"

* * *

_Tell me you don't love him!_ Lara awoke in her hospital bed, screaming. A frightened nurse came in.

"Ma'am, is everything alright?" Lara nodded, tearing slightly. The nurse left the room. Dean walked in, fresh clothed, clean faced. He took in the tears.

"Hey, what happened?" He came over to her and held her close, and handed her a tissue for the tears.

"Nothing. Just a nightmare." Chase stuck his head in.

"Want some visitors?" Heidi, Jordan and Lachie followed in after him.

"Guys, I didn't want you seeing me like this." She started to fret over how she looked, picking at the sheets nervously. Lachie sat on the edge of her bed.

"Hey gorgeous." She fiddled nervously with her IV line.

"You're just saying that."

"I'm not. You are gorgeous no matter what the outside looks like." Chase's phone rang, and Lara jumped a little. Lachie calmed her down with a hand on hers. Chase stepped outside to answer it.

"So when are they springing you from here?" Asked Heidi.

"They're not sure. They need to monitor some of the burns. They're really deep, and they're worried about infection setting in some of them. The ones on my back are massive. So, probably not for a week or two." Chase stepped back into the room.

"Guys, that was Vince. Michelle's gone missing."

* * *

Michelle came to, bound to a chair. She felt a growing uneasiness inside of her. Her masked captor stood in front of her.  
"I went through this with Lara. Can we try it with you?" Michelle shook her head.

"I want to see theatrics. Tears, the works. Tell me you don't love Dean."

"I don't love Dean," Michelle whispered. The attacker shook their head.

"Not enough emotion." They whacked her across the shins.

"I don't love Dean! It was a one night stand!" Another shot across the shins.

"Hmm. One night stand hey? Big Lug over here doesn't want you then. You're tainted goods." She felt a knife scrape across her wrists. Hot breath on her ear.

"So instead, I just going to torture you until I get tired of it, and then maybe I'll let you go." A maniacal laugh sounded from her captor. Michelle shifted her weight, and swung the chair around. It caught her torturer in the face. They swore, and wiped some blood off.

"Bitch! Now I'm really going to hurt you!" A stinging slap across the face. Another. Then a whip was pulled out. Michelle gasped.

"You like my new toy?" They held their hand up high, and brought the whip crashing down upon Michelle's arms. At first, nothing, but then the pain seared through.

"Ten of them a day should keep you on track."

"Please, no. What about my little boy?"

"He'll be fine." They raised the whip again.

"No!"

* * *

Dean stood in the office, Ian with him. James was being occupied by Heidi and Jordan. Lachie had decided to stay at the hospital with Lara.

"What's going on Gallagher?" Dean shrugged his shoulders.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Something's got to be going on. First Lara, now Michelle. Who have you ticked off?"

"Ian, if I had any idea, I'd be out there now, not sitting here twiddling my thumbs…" He petered off.

"What?"

"What if the same thing's happening right now to Michelle? We need to start searching from where we found Lara in the alley. Fan out from there. Someone has to have heard something." Ian nodded.

"Take your team, and we'll head that way now."

* * *

It was quiet. Too quiet for Michelle's liking. She looked around trying to take in some of her surroundings. An array of tools sat on the floor, blood staining some of them. She called out into the vast empty space.

"What do you want with me?"

"Why am I here?"

"Hello?"

"Anyone?" A deafening silence filled the room. Someone stepped out of the shadows.

"I'm here. Don't know if that helps you, but I feel like I would like some acknowledgment. So how's dear Ian? I haven't heard from him for a while. I almost expect him to be breaking down this door at any moment." Michelle hung her head. They pulled it back, using her hair.

"Listen to me when I'm talking to you!" A cracking whip resounded in the room as it slashed its way across Michelle's arms.

"Why are you doing this to me?" She cried.

"Because Dean will never take me. He took that stupid Lara girl, and he had a one night stand with you. Last person left to screw up is Heidi. Too bad she's getting married!"

"So why me? I only ever slept with him once. I never had true feelings for him."

"See, this is true theatrics. I almost believe you. Almost." A crack across the shins with a metal pipe came with the last remark.

"Please. Let me leave."

* * *

_Tell me you don't love him. You're a liar. I still didn't believe it._ Lara sat upright in her bed. Sweat pouring off her. Lachie had opted to stay with her this time, and had fallen asleep with his head on her bed. She reached for the bowl near the bed and retched. Lachie woke up fairly quickly.

"Hey," he said groggily. She heaved again. He grabbed a cool washcloth from her tiny bathroom, and some paper towel. After she'd finished, he handed her the paper towel.

"Thanks," she said weakly. He used the cloth to sponge down her already dampened face. He checked her monitor.

"You have a slight fever. Do you feel alright?"

"Just a bit nauseous."

"That must have been one hell of a nightmare." She tried to hold back the tears, but it was no use. They overflowed quickly, falling down onto the bed.

"Hey. Hey. Don't cry." He wiped away the tears with the washcloth. He sat on the bed, and she leant forward for a hug.

"I'm just frightened of falling asleep. Every time I do, I have a nightmare, or something like this happens. I just feel… vulnerable."

"You know that Dean and I will always be here no matter what. We will get the person that did this to you Lara. We will find them."

"I hope so Lachie. I hope you find Michelle too."

"We will, Lara. We will."

* * *

Her tormentor checked their watch.

"Time to move her out. This time though, drug her. We don't need her remembering this place. Dose her up good." One of the guards approached her with an oxygen mask. Michelle knew it wasn't your regular oxygen.

"No!" Michelle screamed. It was no use. She was tied to a chair. She couldn't move or escape as he came to her with the gas filled tank. He placed the mask over her face.

"No! Please… no… plea…" She fell forward.

"Untie her. We leave her for Ian and Dean to find now. They can deal with the hallucinogenic drugs in her system and the raving." The masked men nodded, and lifted her slight body. They threw her in the back of the van. They were given instructions where to drop her. They knew if they didn't follow the schedule, they didn't get paid.

* * *

Ian and Dean were scouring a crowded alley when the heard a van drive past. They both froze, like rabbits caught in headlights. Something was dumped by two men into the dumpster. They hopped back in the vehicle, and sped away. Dean and Ian looked at each other, and continued with their search. They walked past the giant green bin, thinking nothing of it… until it moaned. The glanced at it, then back at each other. They jumped up and flung the top open, not knowing what they'd find. What they did find shocked them both.

"Michelle!"


	16. 4-3: Crazed Chapter 4

**Chapter Four-**  
**RPA Hospital:  
**Ian sat in the ward with Michelle, watching her as she slept. James had been left with a baby-sitter.**  
**

"Michelle, what did they do to you?" He was angry, a cloud of fury hanging over his head. He couldn't understand how someone could do this to another human being. She shifted, opening her eyes a little.

"Hi," he said softly. She looked confused, eyes blinking rapidly.

"Where am I?"

"You're in the hospital. We found you yesterday afternoon."

"Why are you here?"

"Because I… was concerned. I just needed to know you were ok."

"How did you know I was missing?"

"Cindy rang me late two nights ago, asking if I could come get James. She needed to get home. I showed up and looked after James for the rest of the night, and when I woke up the next morning and you still weren't home, I knew something wasn't right. We spent all day looking for you." The pain in his eyes was evident.

"It was only a day?" He nodded. Michelle took stock of her body. Most of it was covered by a sheet, hiding her injuries from view. She flung it off and gasped. She had whip marks across her arms and legs, and heavy bruising on her shins. She gingerly felt the back of her head and cringed.

"They knocked you out before they took you. Your car is still here." She looked him in the eyes, the unspoken question hanging between them

"James is fine. Cindy came back this morning so I could sit here with you. Dean stayed with you all night." Michelle pulled the sheet back over herself, covering the ugly marks.

"Please. Can you go?" He stared at her blankly.

"Leave Ian." When he didn't move, she yelled at him.

"Get out!"

* * *

After spending the night in Michelle's room, Dean trudged towards Lara's room. He relieved Lachie, who disappeared home to shower and change, and take a decent nap. Lara took in his despondent face when he entered her room.

"Oh Dean." He sat heavily on the chair next to her bed. She took his hand in hers.

"What happened?"

"We found her. She's been quite abused, and then they gassed her. We were scouring an alley for clues when they discarded her into dumpster. When Ian and I pulled her out, she was pretty out of it. I stayed with her last night while Ian took care of James, and then we changed shifts this morning." Lara sat up a bit higher in bed, and rested her hand on his back.

"You should go home. Get some sleep." He shook his head.

"I'll stay here with you. How are you doing today?"

"Better. They're giving me antibiotics to fight off an infection. I'm still having nightmares, but the doctor says they'll take time to go away." She smiled at him.

"I'll be ok."

"You up for a visitor?" Cam Jackson sat in the doorway in his wheelchair. He had progressed from a powered wheelchair to a manual one.

"Cam? What are you doing here?" She looked at Dean, who shook his head.

"Wasn't me Lara."

"It's circulating all Rescue companies at the moment, the attacks on you and Michelle. The rest of LifeBlood wanted to pop in and say hi, but seeing as they're all in Queensland, it wasn't really possible. I, however, am still based in Sydney. Thought I'd drop in and say hello, see how you are." He took in her bruised face and her burnt arms. He whistled softly.

"Geez I'd love to be able to help catch the brute that did this to you." She played with her sheets nervously. Dean got up to leave, and she grabbed his arm.

"Please. Stay." He sat back down. Cam wheeled himself around to the other side of the bed, taking her hand. She wanted desperately to pull away from him, but allowed him the moment.

"I'm sorry Lara. I should never have left you. Maybe you'd never be in this mess." She snatched her hand away.

"What are you saying?"

"If I had of stayed around, kept you in my life, then maybe this wouldn't have happened." She snapped.

"This is not Dean's fault. This isn't anyone's fault! Don't you dare go and blame anybody for what happened. Whoever did this, it is their fault. No-one else's." Cam reeled back, shocked at the sudden outburst.

"Listen, can you leave? I don't know if I want to talk to you anymore." He hung his head low.

"Please Lara. I just want to spend time with you." She rolled over, facing Dean. Dean peered over her at Cam, and shrugged his shoulders. Cam nodded, and wheeled himself to the door.

"I'll come back every day Lara. If that's how long it takes to convince you that I'm not going to leave, then I'll put in the effort." He left. Lara let loose the tears she had been struggling to hold back.

"Shh." Dean soothed her gently.

"Promise me you won't ever leave me Dean."

"I promise Lara."

* * *

The Sydney Rescue Unit had been closed today, and all rescues were being diverted to other rescue headquarters. Jordan and Heidi took the day off as an opportunity to spend some quality time together. They were walking the beach, holding hands. Jordan had been surfing earlier, and was adamant that he would try to teach Heidi. She swore of it for good after falling off so many times, a fellow surfer laughed himself of his own board.

"I love you babe." She stopped and reached up to kiss him.

"I love you too Jordan." It was about sunset, and they picked a spot on the sand, and sat and watched as the sun continued its descent, getting closer and closer to the horizon. The lifeguards had gone home, and the beach was near deserted. Heidi and Jordan locked lips, enjoying the moment together. Heidi broke off the kiss when she noticed something in the water.

"Jordan? What is that?" He looked out across the waves.

"What babe?" As he looked closer, he noticed an individual struggling against the current.

"Is that Sam Marchello?" Jordan ran into the waves.

"Stay on the beach!" He called back. He dove under the waves, feeling like he was returning home. He was a strong swimmer, but the current still had the potential to drag him out. He surfaced for air, and dove again. As he approached Sam, the boy noticed he was there, and latched hold of him, pushing Jordan under the surface. Heidi stood on the sand, watching as Jordan struggled with Sam. She wrung her hands nervously. Jordan fought to get control of Sam. Sam let go of him as he ducked under the pounding waves a second time, and didn't resurface. Jordan dove for him, pulling him to the surface. He wasn't breathing. Jordan powered his way to shore, Sam's limp body in tow. Heidi ran down to the edge of the surf.

"Jordan, is he alright?"

"He's not breathing Heidi."

* * *

Michelle sat upright in her bed, sweat pouring off her face. She'd just had a nightmarish dream, and it was vivid. She struggled to regain control of her breathing, and noticed Dean sitting in the chair near her bed, head back as he caught some precious sleep. She smiled, and laid back. She needed to go to the bathroom, but needed help getting out of bed.

"Dean." She whispered it at first.

"Dean." He snapped awake.

"Hi Michelle."

"Dean, I need your help. I need to get up." He nodded, and helped her untangle her IV lines, and helped her stand. She felt weak, like she'd been sick for weeks.

"Are you alright getting over to the bathroom?" She nodded. She took a step, and a wave of dizziness washed over her. She felt herself falling forward, and was powerless to stop it. Dean's strong arms snapped out, and he caught her before she hit the floor.

"I'll help you get over there," he said, amusement filling his voice. As they walked slowly over to the bathroom, Michelle asked about Lara.

"How is she?"

"She's better. Still not well enough to leave, but she'll get there. You, on the hand, will be released from her in a day or two. Lara still has around a week left."

"Oh. Ok. Wait, if you're here, who's with Lara?"

"Lachie. We take it in shifts. If I'm with Lara, he's here with you so you never wake up alone." She nodded.

"I'll take it from here." Dean waited outside the door until she was done, and helped her back over to her bed.

"So what's happening with James?" Dean tucked her blankets around her, and settled her back in, and sat down.

"Ian's taking him at night, and Cindy's got him through the day." She nodded. Dean's phone rang, and he answered.

"Yeah Chase, what's up?" He was silent as he listened, concern and worry on his face.

"What?"

"Ok, I'll call Vince." He closed his phone.

"What was that about?"

"Jordan and Heidi picked Sam up at one of the local beaches. He's drowned."

* * *

"Come on Sam, you can do this!" Heidi continued the CPR on him, Jordan helping.

"What the hell was he doing out there?" She counted her compressions, desperately wishing for a defibrillator. They both felt the tension in the air. Sam spluttered a little.

"Come on Sam, you can do this! Jordan, he's bradycardic. We need his heart to go faster, his blood's not being oxygenated enough." He coughed a little more.

"Roll him into recovery." Heidi made sure Sam's airways were clear, as he brought up what seemed like litres of seawater.

"Sammy!" Jordan looked up to see Vince barrelling down the sand towards them. He dropped next to Sam.

"What were you doing out here mate? You know I don't like you swimming after lifeguard hours." Sam shook his head. He hurt all over, exhausted from trying to outswim the powerful current, chest painful from the force used to restart his heart and get him breathing. He closed his eyes.

"Stay with us Sam, don't close your eyes," said Heidi.

"Not closing my eyes," he mumbled.

"You need to stay awake Sam."

"Mmph," he whispered, coherent speech beyond him now.

"Sam? What's wrong mate?"

"Can't get enough air." He coughed, his eyes glassy.

"Sam?" Heidi checked him over.

"He's alright for the moment Vince. We need to get him to a hospital soon; he's at risk for secondary drowning. The medical team from the ambulance sprinted along the dunes, bringing with them oxygen. They attached a mask to his face, and turned on the oxygen. The colour was slowly returning to his face.

"We need to take him to hospital, monitor him for pulmonary edema." The loaded him onto a gurney, Sam clutching his chest.

"Dad," he whispered, urgency in his voice. Vince jogged alongside him

"What's up mate?" Sam coughed harder, and tried to breathe deeply. He winced as he felt the pain in his chest increase.

"I can't breathe."

"You'll be right mate, we'll get you to hospital, they can look after you there." Vince climbed into the back of the ambulance, helping the ambos put the stretcher in. They sped away, sirens blaring as they wove through traffic. They hooked monitors up to Sam's body. As soon as the sensors picked up his vitals, they started beeping.

"What's wrong?" Asked Vince, craning his neck to see the screen.

"He's not getting enough oxygen." As they looked at Sam, his face was becoming a pale blue as he struggled to inhale.

"Come on Sammy, you can do this. Fight it!" Sam took a deep breath, and was still.

"Sam? Sam!"


	17. 4-3: Crazed Chapter 5

**Chapter Five-**  
In the hospital, the doctors and nurses swarmed over Sam's body. Vince tried to hover, but was soon pushed away by nurses.

"Sir, let us do our job."

"But that's my son in there!"

"I know, sir, but we need you out here." Vince sat down, a tired look crossing over his face. He pulled out his phone and dialled his ex-wife, Sam's mum.

"Hey."

"What's going on?"

"Sam's in the hospital."

"What? What happened?" Vanessa's voice was frantic.

"He was out in the surf, and he was drowning. It was only that Jordan Zwitkowski was out there that he was rescued."

"Well? Is he alright?" Vince could have cried.

"They're trying to restart his heart."

"I'm coming down there. I'm bringing Kate with me."

"No, don…" Vanessa had already hung up. Vince didn't want to face the wrath of his ex-wife, for apparently letting Sammy into the water. After ten minutes, a doctor came out.

"Vince Marchello?" He stood up.

"We've restarted Sam's heart, but we're worried about the possibility of brain damage. We'll keep him here in hospital under strict observation until we've determined the extent." Vince sat down heavily on the chair again.

"Is there anyone we can call for you sir?"

"My ex-wife is coming in to see Sam. I've got friends up in another ward. Do you mind contacting them for me?" The doctor nodded, and pulled a nurse aside.

"Give Shannon here the details, and she can let them know for you." Vince nodded, the colour draining from his face.

"Sammy?" Vanessa came rushing in, Kate trailing behind her.

"Dad!"

"Grommet!" She ran forward to him, and hugged him.

"Are you alright? You've gone really pale." He waved her off.

"I'll be fine."

"Where is he? What's going on?" Demanded Vanessa.

"They got his heart started, but they're worried about brain damage. They'll keep him here until they know." She turned on him, angry.

"This is all your fault."

"My fault? He was staying at your place this weekend! He's your responsibility Vanessa, not mine."

"Dad, plea…" Kate tried to interrupt.

"If he didn't have a father who was risking his life all the time, maybe he wouldn't feel the need to be like you all the time! You're such a bad influence on him!" Their argument had escalated to full blown screaming match. Kate was watching her parents, tears in her eyes. It brought back memories of being younger, and them fighting at night like this. She stood up.

"Stop it! Both of you! You're arguing worse than Sam and I do!" Vanessa and Vince looked at Kate, shock and disapproval in their eyes.

"Don't inter… inter…" Vince clutched his chest. He knew exactly what was going on.

"Dad?" He gasped for air, the pain in his chest incredible.

"Kat… Need… doc."

"I'm not leaving you. Mum, we need a doctor, and quick." Vanessa tottered off in her heels, and returned quickly with a doctor in tow.

"What's the…?" He stopped as he realised what was going on. He snapped his fingers, and almost a dozen nurses where crowded around.

"He's having a heart attack." Kate was ushered away, just as Chase came downstairs. They put Vince in a wheelchair, and took him away to the cardiac unit, leaving Vanessa behind to fret over Sam.

"Grommet? What's going on?" She ran to Chase, and he enfolded his arms around her. Chase was like the older brother she always wished she had.

"Sam drowned today. Mum and Dad were arguing over whose fault it was that Sam was out there, and then he had a heart attack." She cried on his shirt, and he soothed her. Vanessa shot him a dirty look.

"Is Sam going to be ok?"

"They're not sure. His brain was oxygen deprived for too long, and they don't know if he'll have permanent brain damage." He looked at Vanessa.

"It's all Vince's fault. If he reigned in Sam once in a while, we wouldn't be here for a second time." Kate snapped at Vanessa.

"Don't you dare blame Dad for this! It was your weekend with both of us; you were the one who should have had control of him. Blame yourself if you want to blame someone!" Chase couldn't believe his ears.

"Kate, maybe we should take this outside."

"No. Can we go elsewhere? She can look out for Sam." Vanessa.

"Young lady, you will not be leaving. You will be sitting her by my side until we hear more news about your brother."

"I will not." Chase felt torn, but eventually took Kate away. Vanessa scowled.

"So why are you here?"

"Michelle and Lara are upstairs in one of the wards. Dean and Lachie have been taking turns staying with them, and I thought I'd pop in and say hi. We got the message that Vince needed us in emergency, but I didn't realise it was because of himself."

"It wasn't. It was because of Sam." He led her up the stairs.

"What happened to Michelle and Lara?"

"They were attacked by someone."

"Can I see them?"

"I suppose. I can't see why not." He led her to Lara's room first.

"Grommet! What are you doing here?" Kate took a tentative step into Lara's room.

"Sam drowned at the beach today." Shock crossed Lara's face.

"Is he ok?" Another step forward. Chase stood at the door.

"His heart stopped. They're worried about his brain being deprived of oxygen for too long. They're keeping him here until the decide if there's any damage." She made it to Lara's bedside. She touched her wrists.

"Lara, what did they do?" Lara glanced at Chase.

"I'd tell you, but I don't think you need to know right now. What's going on with you?"

"Mum and Dad are fighting again. I thought when they got divorced it would be better, but if anything, it's worse." She sat in the chair next to Lara's bed. Lara looked over Kate's head at Chase, and nodded her assent for him to leave. Dean and Lachie were with Michelle, and he'd relieve one of them so they could go home, eat and change, and maybe take a nap.

"Lara, Dad had another heart attack today. They took him away to the cardiac ward." She let the tears roll down her face unheeded. She put her head on Lara's bed and cried. Lara stroked her back.

"What am I going to do?"

* * *

Jordan and Heidi were back at Jordan's house. Heidi was sipping a glass of wine, and Jordan was making Italian for them.

"It's been such a crazy day," she commented.

"Yeah. I haven't heard anything from Vince yet as to how Sam is."

"Do you want to know? I'll call Chase, and get him to find out for us if you want." He came over and kissed her on the lips.

"Thanks babe." She pulled out her phone and called Chase. He answered after the first ring.

"Hey Chasie. Listen, can you find Vince and find out…" Her voice trailed off. Jordan looked at her.

"Wha…?" She silenced him with a raised hand. Jordan went back to cooking dinner.

"Ok Chase. Thanks." She ended the phone call and put her phone on the kitchen bench.

"What's going on babe?"

"Sam's heart stopped on the way to the hospital. His brain was deprived of oxygen for too long, and they suspect brains damage." Jordan was silent. He turned to look at her.

"Is he ok?"

"They got his heart and lungs going again, and Vince called Vanessa."

"There's fun just in that."

"Anyway, they started fighting. Vince had another heart attack." Jordan shook his head.

"He really needs to slow down, doesn't he?" She nodded. Jordan served up their meal, and they ate it in silence, absorbed in their own thoughts. After their meal, they cleaned up together, and sat on the lounge, Heidi cuddled up against Jordan's chest. He leaned down and kissed her. Tonight, that was all it took.

Heidi woke up the next morning in Jordan's bed, his arm draped over her shoulder, his body heat keeping her warm. She sighed blissfully, and snuggled deeper.

"Hey babe." He kissed her neck.

"What are the plans for today?"

"Well, I thought we could stay in bed all day, enjoy each other's company." She giggled as his hands roamed her body. Her phone rang.

"Jordan!" She pushed his hands away as she reached for it.

"Heidi."

"Oh, that's great."

"Yeah Dean, we'll see you there." She hung up.

"What was that about?"

"We've got to go in today. Michelle's been released from hospital, and Ian needs to talk to us." He sighed and rolled over.

"Guess that means we have to get up."

"We could stay here a little longer."

* * *

Kate had fallen asleep, her head resting on Lara's bed. Dean stuck his head in.

"Hey, Michelle's being released today. Are you right here with Grommet?" She nodded. Dean jumped in his car and headed for Rescue HQ. When he got there, he noticed Ian's car out the front. Lachie was bringing Michelle in later, after she'd finished filling in all her forms, and had passed her psychiatric assessment.

"What's going on?" He asked Chase.

"Ian wants to talk to use about something. We've got to wait for Michelle to get here though." Dean nodded, and sat at his desk, filling in paperwork, catching up on a work emails. He opened one, and motioned for Ian to come over.

"Ian, I got an email from Kendra Bradfield. It's pretty abusive." Ian read through it, and pulled out a USB drive.

"Put it on that, I'll take it over to the station later, get them to track it." Chase rolled his chair over and read it over his shoulder.

"Wow Dean. What did you do to her?"

"What did she do to me? She's the one who drugged me up." They heard a car in the drive. Lachie had pulled up with Michelle. As she walked slowly up the stairs, the team let out a cheer. Jordan and Heidi walked up the stairs behind her.

"Oh good, Michelle's here." Ian directed them into Michelle's office.

"We've haven't had any leads on your case so far. We're waiting to hear back from some detectives who are also on the case, but we've got nothing." Michelle stood up.

"How can you have nothing? They tried to kill me!" She shook with anger. Rage filled her entire being.

"This is unacceptable, Ian."

* * *

Kate woke up, confused as to why she was in a hospital. Lara was reading a magazine, sheets pulled up.

"Hey sleepyhead." Kate yawned.

"What have I missed?"

"They discharged Michelle this morning. It's just me left in the hospital. They updated me on Sam, he's doing better. He's not awake yet, but he's been downgraded from critical. Your Dad's coming around later too." Kate smiled.

"Grommet, your still here?"

"Dad!" She turned to see him in the doorway, wheelchair and all. She ran to him.

"Thank goodness you're ok." She hugged him tight, and then sat back in the chair near Lara's bed.

"She been good Lara?"

"Nah Vince, she's been horrible!" They laughed.

"How's your heart going?"

"It'll get there. Some new medication to drop my blood pressure, and I need to watch what I eat, but hey. I'm Vince Marchello! I'm invincible."

"Dad, you're not." He laughed.

"So what have you two been up two in here?"

"Nothing Dad. Listen, I want to talk to you about something important."

"Oh, really?"

"I want to live with you. No more Mum, just with you." He stared in disbelief.

"Grommet, that's a big decision."

"There's more Dad."

"More? How much more can I take."

"I want to join Rescue."


	18. 4-3: Crazed Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**  
It was a week later. Lara had finally been discharged, and had been permitted to work desk duties alongside Vince until she had her psych appointment. Kate came in with Vince, first morning. Lara dashed past her for the bathrooms, covering her mouth as she ran past.

"What's with her?"

"No idea. See Michelle in her office, you've got some paperwork to fill in Grommet."

"Dad!" She groaned, and headed straight into Michelle's office. Dean, Chase and Lachie were already there, working, when Dean pushed himself away from the computer.

"What's up Deano?" Asked Vince.

"You know that chick? Kendra Bradfield? She's actually someone escaped from Long Bay Jail. She was caught this morning, and Ian's coming in. He reckons he's got some good news." Heidi and Jordan came up the stairs as Lara walked out of the bathroom, wiping her mouth.

"You ok Lara?" She shook her head. As she smelled Jordan's cologne, she put her hand to her face.

"Not again!" She ran back inside, retching.

"What's her problem?" Everyone shook their heads, and a few shrugged their shoulders.

"Hey, what's Grommet doing here?"

"She's a part of your rescue team now guys. A junior, like an apprentice. Treat her like one of you, but still know she's only nineteen. Watch what you do to her," Vince warned them all. They heard footsteps up the stairs. It was Ian. Vince spoke.

"Hey Detective Johnson."

"I've got news for you all."

"Hope its good news mate," said Vince.

"It is. Kendra Bradfield is an escaped prisoner from Long Bay. She's an accomplished torturer, and has the ability to focus her attention on someone. She picked you Dean. She had it in her mind that Michelle and Lara were no good for you, so she sought to teach them a lesson. She's a little crazed."

"So where is she now then?"

"We got her last night after a car accident. She's back in custody, and will be transported back today."

"I think that calls for drinks tonight, my shout!" Called Vince. The team cheered. Lara came out of the bathroom. Sweat poured down her face, and her short her was plastered to her face and neck.

"Are you ok Lara?" Asked Heidi. She walked over towards her. Lara took a step forward, nausea and dizziness filling her being.

"I don't know." She fainted, collapsing on the floor.

"Dean?" He leapt over his chair, and crouched down next to her.

"She's running a fever," he noted.

"Pulse is a bit thready." She started to stir.

"Lara, are you alright?" Heidi gripped one of her hands.

"Make him move," she whispered.

"What?"

"Move." Heidi looked at Dean, who stood up and stepped back. Lara rolled over, heaving. Heidi stroked her back. She looked up at Jordan.

"Babe, can you grab me a damp washcloth?" He nodded, and disappeared into the kitchenette. Heidi rubbed Lara's back, as she dry heaved on the floor. Michelle and Kate appeared out of the office.

"What's going on?" Asked Kate. Heidi shrugged her shoulders. Lara rolled back over, sweat glistening on her face and forehead. Jordan reappeared and handed Heidi the washcloth. She wiped Lara's face down.

"Alright boys, away with you all. Grommet, Lara, Heidi. In my office." Michelle shooed them all away. Kate and Heidi helped Lara stand, and took her into Michelle's office. The boys stood there, stunned. Ian bade them all farewell and disappeared.

"Do think we'll be let in the secret?"

* * *

An hour later, the girls emerged from Michelle's offie.

"Everything ok?"

"Yeah Vince, it's fine."

"Good, cause we've just had a callout. Grommet, you're with Chase. Lachie, with Dean, and Jordan and Heidi-Ho."

"What's the callout for Dad?"

"Car accident. Take notes Grommet. Dean, she's in your care while she's out there. Watch her." He nodded, and they headed out. Lara sat behind her desk, eyes rimmed red. Michelle put a hand on her back.

"Do you want me to take you home?" Lara shook her head.

"No Michelle. I'll stay here. Give me some work to do, something to take my mind off things." Michelle nodded, handing her a stack of files.

"These need updating. Think you handle that?"

"So an MVA is a motor vehicle accident?" Said Kate.

"That's right," said Chase, turning into the street. A truck carrying a load of metal pipes had lost its load whilst traveling, and had wiped out several cars, leaving passengers with an array of injuries, and had hit pedestrians hard. The whole team arrived around the same time, and toppled out of the vehicles. Dean took control, chucking Kate a radio.

"Grommet, you're now Rescue Portable Seven." She grinned.

"Ok, Heidi and Jordan, take two of the cars. Lachie, the driver. Chase and Grommet, take any pedestrians. I'll take the impalement victim." The team spread out.

"Is this what it's always like?" Asked Kate. Chase nodded.

"Yep. Always is." She smiled.

"This is exactly where I want to be then." They headed toward the group of pedestrians. Chase looked at them.

"Just cuts and grazes at the moment. Treat them, and then move on. Dean might need some help at some point too." She nodded. Chase and Kate got into a good rhythm, working at a steady pace. They were going well, until one of the pedestrians was drunk. Kate ended up with him.

"Sir, I need to treat this wound." He pushed at her hands.

"Please." He lashed out at her, catching her in the nose. He bolted. She felt the blood on her face.

"Eugh. Chase! Can I get some help?"

"Hang on Grommet!' Dean heard her cries.

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Portable Seven, what's the problem Grommet?"

"Some guy just clocked me one in the face." Dean referred his patient to Jordan, and came running over. He lifted her chin.

"Show me." The blood trickled down her face.

"Just a bloody nose. You'll be fine Grommet. Consider yourself initiated."

"Some initiation guys. This sucks!" Dean chuckled.

"I've got an impalement victim. Do you want to come learn?" She nodded. He pulled her up.

"Let's do this."

After a full day of rescuing, Kate was just about wiped. She was sitting in the locker room when Heidi came in, just as bouncy as ever.

"How do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Just perk up after a rescue like that. Where do you find the energy?" Heidi laughed.

"Don't worry Grommet. You learn the ability to just cope with it." Heidi slammed her locker shut, and leant on it.

"Girls night at my place tonight. Do you wanna come?"

"Sure."

"I've invited Michelle and Lara as well. It'll be fun."

"Yeah, I reckon Lara needs some girly time." Heidi nodded.

"What time?"

"I'm going to take you all back to my place in an hour, sound good to you?"

* * *

They were sitting at Heidi's place drinking wine, and eating expensive chocolates. Lara was finally smiling again.

"Thanks guys, I really needed this." They nodded.

"Listen, I'm getting tired. Do you mind if I crash?"

"Well, actually, Dean's coming to get you, take you back to his place. He misses you Lara, why do you think he was staying in hospital all that time?" Kate giggled, a little tipsy from drinking so much.

"As for you missy, your Dad's coming to get you." Kate sobered quickly. A knock on the door alerted them to the fact Dean was there. Lara met him at the door.

"Hey. Thanks for taking me home." He took her duffel bag off her shoulder, and chucked it in his car.

"I told you I'd always be there for you." They drove in silence back to Dean's house. He let her inside.

"I set up the spare room for you."

"Thanks Dean." She unpacked her clothes onto the bed, and took her toiletries into the adjacent bathroom. She pulled out a pregnancy test, and read the instructions. She knew the possibility of it being positive was slim, but her doctor had warned her, after the rape when she was held captive, that she might be pregnant. She had refused to take the test at the hospital, preferring to do it in privacy. She completed the task, and waited the five minutes. She read the test, and sat on the floor, and cried.

* * *

An hour later, Dean knocked on the bathroom door.

"Lara, are you ok?"

"No," she sobbed. He tried to open the door, but she had locked it.

"Lara, unlock the door." She got up off the floor and crossed over, and unclipped the lock. He opened the door.

"Lara, what's wrong?" She handed him the test wordlessly. He looked at it.

"Does this say what I think it says?" She nodded, tears streaming down her face.

"I'm pregnant Dean."


	19. 4-4: Hike Chapter 1

_EPISODE 4.4 – Hike._

Disclaimer – I don't own the Rescue Series, but miss it dearly since it left TV. This is Episode Four, and follows on from Season Four, Episode Three – Crazed. It is recommended you read the first through to the third episode before continuing on with this one.

* * *

**Chapter One-**  
**Rescue HQ:**

"Righto team, we've had a callout to the Blue Mountains. We've got missing hikers; we need to set up a search and rescue, and co-ordinate with the other area teams." Vince looked around at his team.

"Anyone know where Dean and Lara are?" The team looked at each other, shrugging.

"Haven't heard from Lara since Dean picked her up two nights ago," commented Heidi.

"Well then, Jordan, you're in charge. Grommet, today you're with Lachie instead. Maybe he can stop you from getting hurt this time." Lachie sniggered, and Chase punched him in the arm.

"Shotgun!" Cried Kate, running down the stairs. Chase groaned.

"Come on Chasie boy. Let's go," said Lachie, slapping his little brother on the back. They climbed into the first patrol and started driving.

"So what exactly do we do in a search and rescue?" Asked Kate.

"Exactly that. We search, and we rescue if needed," answered Chase from the back seat in the patrol.

"So who are we searching for?" He opened up the folder, looking at the files Vince had passed to him on his way out.

"A couple. They left yesterday, and didn't return last night. They had a strange phone call from them, and now we get to go and find them." Kate nodded. They pulled up into a bushland clearing. Michelle had travelled in her own SUV, following the rest of the team down, coming as the group co-ordinator, and to liaise with the other rescue groups. Lachie opened the back of the patrol, and passed Chase and Kate a medi-kit each, slinging one on his own back. Jordan and Heidi set up the tent, and settled Michelle in.

"Chase, you're with me." He moaned. Michelle grinned.

"Jordan and Heidi, you're Alpha Team. Lachie and Grommet, you're Delta Team." She handed them maps.

"We're doing a standardized grid-search. Your areas are marked. Stick to them." She waved them off. The two teams split off in opposite directions. Kate crashed through the bush, Lachie close behind her.

"I just don't understand how people can get lost in here." She brushed aside a frond, and ducked under a tree branch.

"If something can go wrong, often, it will go wrong." She laughed.

"How long does it usually take to find people like this?"

"Usually three, maybe four hours. That was when they had the chopper. Now, a little longer. Not more than twenty-four hours." He ducked under a tree branch, and jumped a fallen log.

"Hello?" They both stopped, silent.

"Hello? Anyone?" Lachie and Kate looked at each other. She bolted first.

"Grommet! Slow down!" Lachie gave chase after her, hurtling through the foliage. Kate disappeared from view, seeming to drop out of his line of sight. He heard a scream.

"Grommet! Kate!"

* * *

**Sydney Suburbs:**

Dean sat on his couch, head cradled in his hands. Lara was asleep at the moment, but soon she'd be awake, throwing up again. He didn't know what to do, how to help her. She'd spent most of Saturday night crying on his shoulder, and last night, she'd been angry. Furious enough to break things. She'd finally tired herself out, and had slept. A door crashing open told him that she was definitely up. A retching noise in the bathroom alerted him to the fact that she was still sick. After twenty minutes, she came back out, and sat next to him on the lounge.

"How are you doing this morning?" She nodded.

"I've been better," she answered weakly. Dean put his arm around her, and kissed her forehead.

"Do you want something to eat?" She shook her head. The thought of food made her more queasy.

"Tea?"

"Sounds ok." He unwrapped his arm from around her shoulders and moved towards the kitchen. She felt the nausea rise in her throat. She jumped off the sofa and sprinted for the bathroom, barely making it. Dean sighed. He took her cup into the bathroom, and leant against the doorjamb.

"Lara, you need to see a doctor. They can give you medication to control this." She shook her head, leaning back against the wall. He handed her the cup, and crouched in front of her.

"You don't have to do this alone Lara."

* * *

**Blue Mountains:**

"Rescue Portable Six to Rescue Portable Seven. Grommet?" Static filled the radio.

"Rescue Portable Six to Rescue Portable Four and Five. Can you two get to my location with ropes?"

"Sure Lachie. What's going on?"

"Grommet just fell over a cliff, and I can't get into contact with her." He secured his own ropes and waited, trying Kate's radio every few minutes. Heidi and Jordan appeared from his left, and Chase came straight at him.

"Chase, what are you doing here?"

"Michelle sent me to help you. We've been monitoring your radio's." Lachie nodded.

"Have you heard from Grommet yet?" Lachie shook his head at Heidi.

"Right, I'm coming down with you then." Jordan went to stop her.

"Babe, I should go." She shook her head.

"If we need help hoisting Grommet up the side of this cliff face, we need you and Chase at the top." She checked her harness, and hooked her rope up. She smiled at Jordan, blew him a kiss, and disappeared over the edge. Lachie followed soon after. They abseiled down. It wasn't far enough to kill someone, but it was enough to injure someone. They landed on the ground.

"Grommet?" Heidi heard a moan from the bushes.

"Lachie? Over here." They approached carefully. In the middle of the bushes was Kate. Heidi pushed through to her.

"My head," she groaned.

"That's a decent cut you've got there Grom."

"You alright there Grommet?" She tried to get up, but failed. Lachie came around to the other side, and lifted her out, helping her stand. He checked her over.

"Just a few cuts and bruises I think. How's your head?" He asked, taking a quick look.

"Sore." She swatted him away.

"I'll be fine."

"Your dad will kill me if you're not ok." Lachie pulled out a butterfly Band-Aid, and pulled it across the gash.

"Rescue Portable Four to Rescue Portable Five. Heidi? How's things going?"

"We found her Jordan. She's a little banged up."

"Copy that. You coming back up?"

"Yeah, give us a few minutes." Heidi pulled out her extra harness. Kate stepped into it.

"Hello? Hello! Can somebody help me?"

"Rescue Portable Four to Rescue Portable Five, did you hear that Heidi?"

"Yeah, hang on." She unhooked her ropes.

"Can anybody hear me?" She called.

"Yes! Please, I need your help!" Lachie led the way, pushing through the thickening foliage, until he found a girl. Kate and Heidi followed.

"Tiny?" Lachie looked at Kate.

"You know her Grommet?"

"We were in year twelve together. Tiny, what are you doing out here?" The girl swallowed hard.

"We wanted to go hiking together, to spend some time together."

"Who?" Prodded Kate.

"David. He promised we'd spend time together. He went over the edge first, I haven't heard from him for hours." She burst into tears.

"Heidi, can you take the patient for a moment?" She nodded, and they exchanged places. Lachie took Kate aside.

"Tiny is short for…?"

"Aside from the fact she's short, her full name is Christina Martin."

"Who's David?"

"David Kellar. He's only the hottest guy from our year." He nodded.

"Why? What's going on?"

"We need to notify her parents about where she is. There's also the possibility of a spinal injury from the fall, so you can't be involved in her treatment until you've finished the in-service your dad organised for you." Kate nodded. Lachie returned to Christina's side, continuing her first-aid. Kate scowled. All she wanted to do was help people, and now she was restricted because of rescue rules. She pushed through the shrubs. She was almost fifty metres away from Lachie and Heidi when she heard a small cry.

"Hello? Is someone there?"

"Hello? My name is Kate Marchello. I'm with Rescue Special Operations. Who are you?"

"Grommet? It's me, David." Kate pressed on until she reached David, his body lying awkwardly on the ground.

"Kate! I'm so glad to see you."

"What happened?"

"I fell off that cliff there. I think I hit my head, and I can't feel my legs. My chest is a little sore too."

"Ok." She tried to shift him, and he started gasping for air.

"David? David!" He struggled for oxygen, his lips turning blue.

"Oh my god." Kate jumped up and sprinted back towards Heidi and Lachie. They were securing the ropes onto Christina's board.

"Grommet? Where have you been?"

"I need your help," she panted.

"What happened?"

"I found David. He can't breathe, I think I did something wrong!" She was in near hysterics now. Heidi dropped her ropes.

"You finish with the patient, I'll deal with David. Come see us when you're done." Heidi and Kate pounded through the bush. Kate slid to a stop near David's body, and dropped down next to him.

"Heidi, he's not breathing!"

* * *

Dean and Lara sat in the doctor's office. Dean flipped through a magazine, not registering what he was reading. His phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Deano mate, where are you?"

"Just dealing with some stuff today Vince."

"You could have called mate. You left me short, between you and Lara not being here."

"Yeah, listen Vince, Lara's with me. I can't tell you why yet, that's up to her. We won't be in today."

"Everything ok?" Vince's team were like a family to him. If something was wrong for one of them, he wanted to fix it as best he could.

"Lara Knight?" The doctor called. She stood up.

"Yeah Vince, leave it with me. I've got to go." Dean closed his phone and stood up, following Lara into the examination room. The doctor opened her file.

"Miss Knight, what seems to be the problem?"

"I think I'm pregnant."

* * *

After an hour in the doctor's office, Dean and Lara were heading back to his place. She was quiet the whole way home, and Dean was worried about her.

"Are you alright?" She nodded her head, not looking at him. The silence in the car thickened. He pulled up outside. She got out, not looking at him. He unlocked the door, and got a glimpse of her face. Tears stained her cheeks. She had been crying silently the whole ride home. Dean pulled her into a hug, stroking her back.

"Lara, you can talk to me."

"Dean, what am I going to do? I'm not ready to be a mother and leave Rescue. What if I fail at being a mum?"

"Lara, you know that you will be an amazing mum. Heidi and Michelle will always be there for you, and no-one said anything about leaving rescue."

"How can you be so calm about this? It's not even your baby!" She pulled away from him.

"I said I would stick by you no matter what Lara, and I meant what I said. I'm not about to leave you because of something that was out of your control." She sat on the couch, drawing her knees to her chest.

"I don't know if I'm ready for this Dean." He sat next to her and kissed her forehead, pulling her close to his chest.

"You've got eight and a half months to get ready for this Lara. You have time. We have time." She snuggled into his chest, wiping away her tears with the heels of her hands. He leant back against the sofa, stroking her hair. It was quiet as they sat there, enjoying the company of each other. Lara broke the silence.

"Dean?" She leant back to look him in the eyes.

"Hmm?" He continued stroking her back, looking down at her.

"What if I don't want the baby?"


	20. 4-4: Hike Chapter 2

**Chapter Two-**  
"Breathe, dammit!" Lachie came crashing through the bushes, skidding to a halt near Heidi. She was trying to resuscitate David, with no luck. Kate was huddled on the ground, hugging her knees as she cried hysterically. After almost ten minutes of trying to bring back David, Heidi sat back on her haunches.

"Call the code," she said to Lachie.

"No! You can't do that!" Kate scrambled over to David's body. Heidi tried to pull her back.

"Kate, it's no use. He's gone." The tears fell quickly down her face.

"No, please." Lachie stepped away to use his radio to inform Chase and Jordan about the body recovery. Heidi leant forward again, to try to get Kate to move. She snarled at her.

"Don't touch me. If I hadn't touched him, he wouldn't be dead. This is all my fault!" Heidi looked at Lachie. He shrugged his shoulders.

"Well, we need to get his body up the cliff face, so we can't transport him out of here." Kate retreated again, stepping away from his body. Lachie and Heidi transferred David onto a body board, and carried him to the base of the cliff. In silence, they secured the ropes, and Jordan and Chase hoisted him up, dropping the ropes back down when they were done. Heidi turned to Kate, and secured her harness to the rope. Kate was quiet, almost sullen, and allowed herself to be lifted up by Chase and Jordan. She sat on a nearby rock as Lachie and Heidi came up. Chase looked at Lachie, who just lifted an eyebrow at him. Chase approached Kate.

"Grommet?" She looked up at him, the pain evident in her eyes. He sat next to her, and she wrapped her arms around him, and cried on his shoulder. Heidi, Jordan and Lachie made a point of not looking their direction whilst they packed up the rest of the gear. The three of them pulled their packs onto their shoulders, and lifted the board carrying David, and headed back to Michelle and the patrols.

"Where's Chase and Grommet?" Asked Michelle when the three of them came into sight. Christina had already been transported out of the mountains and over to the Blue Mountains District hospital. David's body would go to the same hospital for autopsy.

"They're back near the edge of the cliff. Chase is sitting with her while she composes herself." Michelle nodded, packing up her own gear. A crackling of twigs alerted them to Chase and Kate's presence. Michelle held open her arms, and Kate ran to her. Michelle was like her second mother, and she had no qualms over expressing deep emotions near her.

"Chase and Lachie, you guys head back in the patrol. I'll take Kate with me." They nodded and climbed into the patrols, driving off. Heidi and Jordan got into the other patrol. Jordan kicked it into gear, and followed after Chase and Lachie's dust cloud.

"Do you think she'll be alright?" Asked Heidi.

"Yeah babe, she'll be fine. Remember what you were like when you lost your first patient? It's a big thing." Heidi remembered it like it was yesterday. They had rescued a girl from a motor vehicle accident. She had to have been only four, and died from severe blood loss and trauma. Her name was Aurelia Jackson, and her face was indelibly etched in her mind forever. She had moped about for weeks after her death, blaming herself for losing such a precious little girl, and had been just about impossible when they had gone out to rescues. It taken her time to realise you can't save everyone, you just have to try and save whoever you can. You don't always get a choice. She was about to open her mouth when her phone rang.

"Heidi? It's Lara. I need you."

* * *

Lara sat in Dean's house, alone. Dean had left to go for a jog, saying that he needed to clear his head. It was a lot for her to take in, and she was the one it was happening to. It felt surreal to her, like maybe someone was playing a practical joke on her. She sat in silence, contemplation her only friend, when she heard the doorbell ring.

"Heidi." Lara opened the door, allowing her inside.

"What's the matter Lara? You sounded upset on the phone." Jordan walked in behind Heidi.

"Heidi, why did you bring him?"

"We were on the way back from a rescue. I didn't realise I had to come alone." Lara sat on the couch and burst into tears. Heidi was shocked, but composed herself quickly.

"Jordan babe, can you go for a walk for a little while?" He nodded. He was glad to get away from all this girly emotion, and headed straight for the door. Heidi took a seat next to Lara on the sofa.

"Lara? What's going on?" A sudden thought crossed her mind.

"Did Dean hit you again? Ooh, I'm going to get him! He swore he wouldn't!" Lara shook her head.

"No, it's not that."

"Well, what's wrong?"

"Heidi, I'm pregnant." Heidi sat on the lounge, stunned and confused.

"I thought you wanted kids," said Heidi slowly.

"Hamish wanted kids. I didn't. I love Rescue too much to leave to become a mother. It was never something I wanted to do." She wiped away a tear.

"What are you going to do?"

"I don't know Heidi. Part of me wants to keep the baby, because it's a living thing, but another part wants me to get an abortion. It's the child of another man, not mine. How can I ask someone like Dean to raise a child that's not his?"

"You'd be surprised how many men actually do it Lara," said Heidi.

"I know, but I don't want to burden Dean with that. I just… I don't know what to do." Heidi put her arm around her.

"I think we need to talk to Michelle. She'll know what to do in this situation."

"Will you come with me?"

"Of course. Do you think I'd make you go by yourself?" Lara shook her head.

"Everyone's going to have to know what's going on."

"They don't have to if you don't want them to Lara."

* * *

Michelle and Kate sat in silence on the trip home. Every now and again Michelle glanced over to see if Kate was ok, but she didn't shift for the entire journey. When they got closer to Rescue HQ, Kate spoke.

"What happens now?"

"What do you mean?" Asked Michelle, confused.

"I killed David. Ended his life. Aren't I supposed to be in trouble?"

"No. What gave you that idea?"

"I don't know, I thought that was what would happen."

"Kate, if I fired or reprimanded someone every time a life was lost, we'd be going through a lot of employees." Kate smiled.

"Is that what you've been worried about?"

"A little, yeah," admitted Kate. Michelle looked at her as she pulled into the HQ drive way.

"Kate, if I fired you, I'd never hear the end of it from your father." When Michelle got upstairs, she noticed Heidi and Lara sitting in her office.

"When did she get here Vince?" He glanced over at her office.

"About fifteen minutes ago. They wouldn't talk to me."

"I'll trade you then. You debrief your daughter about today, and I'll take these two. Go easy on Kate please!" Called Michelle as she opened her door, stepping inside. She sat behind her desk.

"Ok you two. What's going on?" Lara fiddled nervously with the hem of her shirt, not looking into Michelle's eyes. She glanced at Heidi.

"I'm not telling her Lara. I said I'd be here for you, but it needs to come from your mouth."

"What? Lara, what do I need to hear?"

"I'm pregnant Michelle. I don't know what to do." Her nerves felt frayed, and her emotions constantly on the edge. Tears fell softly down her face.

"Oh Lara." Lara felt a motherly tone in Michelle's voice, and let the tears fall freely. Michelle came around from the other side of the desk, and motioned for them to move to the armchairs. She clutched Lara in a back-breaking hug, and followed both girls as they sat down. Michelle perched herself on the arm of one of the chairs.

"Do you want to keep the baby?" Asked Michelle, coming straight out with it.

"I don't know. Part of me wants to keep it, because it's a life, and life is precious, but another part of me struggles to even fathom how I am going to take care of another human being when I can't even take care of myself. And how can I expect another person to care for a child that isn't theirs? I could never ask Dean to go through that. And then I think about who the baby's father is, and then I wonder if the baby will turn out like its father. Please Michelle, what do I do?" Michelle took a deep breath.

"Lara, that's something you have to decide. I can advise you as to what I would do in this situation, but I can't tell you what to do. Ultimately, that's your decision. If you had a husband or partner, I'd be telling you to talk to them."

"Have you spoken to Dean about this?" Asked Heidi.

"I told him I wasn't sure about keeping the baby. He went really quiet, and I haven't seen him since he went for a jog. He's probably halfway to Melbourne now; he was so pre-occupied when he left the house. I don't think I can burden him with the responsibility of a child and myself. I don't think he's ready." Lara could feel her world spinning out of control, thanks to the father of her baby, a man who she couldn't even name.

"Well then, talk to us. We're happy to listen, and we'll support whatever decision you make, no matter what you decide," said Heidi.

"Thanks guys." Vince knocked on the door.

"Dean just walked in, he's a little plastered, and he can't say why. Anybody care to explain?" Michelle looked at Lara.

"This is your call Lara. If you don't want him to know, that's fine, we can keep it between us. He will find out sooner or later." Lara nodded, not wanting to look Vince in the eyes.

"Lara?" Prodded Heidi.

"Ok. You'll find out eventually." Michelle motioned Vince inside, and he closed the door quietly behind him. He waited patiently; knowing whatever she was going to say was going to be important.

"Vince, I'm pregnant." He sucked in a breath of air.

"Congratulations to you and Dean!" He reached over to shake her hand. Michelle stopped him with a look.

"What?" He asked, confused.

"It's not Deans," she whispered.

"If it's not Deans, then whose baby is it?" Vince demanded.

"I don't know his name. He was one of the attackers who were associated with Kendra Bradfield."

"Bastard! I'm gonna find him and kill him!" Vince balled his hands up into fists, rage boiling in him. Michelle put a hand on his arm.

"Don't do it. We don't even know who he is. Leave it to the police to deal with." Vince sat in the chair across from Lara, and clasped her petite hands in his.

"If there's anything I can do for you, let me know. I'll help you in any way I can, before and after the baby arrives."

"Vince, I don't even know if I want to keep it." He stood up, outraged.

"What? You're going to kill a human life? That's insane!" Lara reeled back.

"I wasn't thinking along the lines of abortion Vince, I was thinking more like giving the baby away when it was born. It's not fair to have a mother like me, and I don't think I'm ready to look after a baby." He nodded.

"I can understand that. Do you want to tell the rest of the team?" Lara shook her head.

"Not until I've made my decision Vince."


	21. 4-4: Hike Chapter 3

**Chapter Three-**  
Lara walked downstairs, heading for the door. She needed to go for a walk, think through what she was going to do. Her thoughts felt like they'd been put through a blender, and she needed to clear the confusion. She looked up, and realised Lachie was standing on front of her.

"Dean told me." A look of shock crossed her face.

"What?" He nodded. He didn't feel the need to repeat himself. She shifted, feeling uncomfortable under his gaze.

"Are you going to do it?" He asked.

"Do what?"

"Get rid of the baby." She shrugged her shoulders, refusing to look him in the eyes.

"Don't do it Lara." He took her hand. "We'll always be there for you, to support you." Lara nodded.

"Thanks Lachie. I just need to go for a walk." He bobbed his head.

"Call me if you need to talk. Dean's a bit off his face, so I wouldn't try talking to him at the moment." Lara slid past Lachie, and walked out the door. She was fighting her inner turmoil. Should she keep the baby, and face the possibility of having to leave Rescue? Or get rid of the baby, and regret it for the rest of her life? Everywhere she looked, she saw happy young mothers pushing baby strollers, young parents looking after toddlers, all smiles and cheerful faces. The sudden realisation hit Lara. She wanted to be one of those parents, to have a smaller version of herself to love and cherish. She wiped a tear away, and headed back to Rescue HQ. She wanted Michelle and Heidi, as her best friends, to know her decision first. As she walked back, she heard a screech of tires, and a crunching of metal. Lara turned to see a car accident at the intersection, and her rescue instincts kicked in. She pounded towards the accident, pulling out her phone. As she drew closer, she realised a Rescue patrol was involved. She stopped, and dialled a number with shaky hands.

"Lachie, I need your help. Dean's been in an accident." Lachie swore and dropped his phone. He hadn't been able to find Dean for the past half an hour, and had assumed he'd fallen asleep in a corner somewhere, sleeping off the effects of the alcohol. He picked up his phone.

"Where are you?"

"Just around the corner from HQ. I was walking back." Lachie ran for the door.

"Heidi, Grommet, grab the medi-kits. Chase and Jordan, bring a combi-tool and a spine board. Dean's been in an accident." The team sprinted for the equipment. Lachie propelled himself along the concrete path, until he reached the scene. Lara was already assessing the other patient.

"Lachie! I need a cervical collar. We've got a possible spinal here." Heidi heard Lara, and pulled out a collar, throwing it to Lachie. He made his way around the car to the side where Lara was, passing her the collar. She secured it around his neck.

"We need a combi-tool to get him out," she told Lachie.

"Dean!" Chase arrived on the scene, and sprinted for his brother, who was unconscious in the other vehicle, and Lachie joined him soon after. Kate stood and observed. After the day's events, she didn't want to risk anybody else unless she was called on. Jordan took the combi-tool over, and pushed it in the gap between the car body and the door. He prised it open, and Heidi brought over the spine board. Between the three of them, they transferred their patient onto the board, and into a waiting ambulance. Chase and Lachie were working tirelessly on Dean.

"Is he alright?" Called Lara.

"He's unconscious, and his arms broken, but I think he'll be ok. He's got a pretty impressive lump on his head, and he'll be quite bruised, but he'll live." Dean stirred in his seat.

"Wha' happene?" He asked groggily.

"You took a patrol and drove it whilst drunk, you idiot," berated Lachie. Dean tried to move his arm, and winced as the pain seared through the shattered bones.

"Careful moving that mate, you've broken it." A siren notified them that the ambulance for Dean was there. They pried open the door with a combi-tool, and pulled him out gently, being mindful of his arm. As they waved goodbye to the ambulance, Lara took Heidi's arm.

"I need to talk to you and Michelle. It's important." Heidi and Lara left Kate and the boys to clean up the accident site, and headed back to HQ. Heidi ran to Michelle, and whispered in her ear. She nodded, and walked into her office, and sat behind her desk.

"What's up Lara?"

"I've decided," said Lara. She could barely contain her enthusiasm.

"Well, I think I know what you're going to say," said Michelle, a grin spreading across her face.

"I've decided to keep the baby." Heidi practically screamed for joy, and hugged Lara tightly.

"This is so exciting!" She gushed. Vince heard the commotion, and stuck his head inside the door.

"What's going on?" Lara got up and smiled at him.

"I've decided to keep the baby." He pulled her close, and wrapped his arms around her.

"That's great Lara. What made you change your mind?" She drew away from him, facing the other two girls in the room.

"I figured, if Michelle can successfully do her Rescue job and raise James, well then so can I. I'm making you all babysit at least once," Lara joked.

"You need to tell everyone else. You won't have to do this alone, we'll stick by you the whole way." Heidi was thrilled for Lara. Vince stuck his head out Michelle's door, and called the others in. They came into the doorway.

"What's going on?" Asked Kate.

"Lara's got some news for you." They looked at her expectantly.

"I'm pregnant, and I've decided that I'm keeping the baby." Lachie whooped, and came in, hugging Lara so tight he lifted her feet off the floor.

"That's fantastic!" Kate came in next, give Lara a light hug.

"I'm planning your baby shower, ok?" Lara nodded to her, her smile getting wider. Vince's phone rang, and he dashed out to answer it, leaving the others to fawn over Lara. He came back in five minutes later.

"Dean's discharging himself from the hospital after they've set his arm. Lachie, if you can pick him up, we can meet you at the pub. I'm taking you for drinks to celebrate." Chase slapped Vince on the back. Lara interrupted.

"Vince, do you think I could pick Dean up? I haven't told him what's going on yet, and I want to tell him myself."

"Sure Lara, see you when you get back. We'll save a few softies for you; no more drinks until you're holding that baby in your arms." Lara laughed, and grabbed her jacket off her chair, and walked out the door. Kate followed after her.

"Lara!" Lara turned around to face Kate.

"What's up Grom?"

"Can I come with you? I want to talk." Lara thought about it for a split second, and then nodded her head.

"Sure, get in." Kate smiled, and hoisted herself into the passenger seat of Deans ute. Lara pulled out of the drive quickly, and soon found herself in afternoon traffic. She looked at Kate.

"What's up?" She asked.

"What changed for you?"

"What do you mean?" Asked Lara, confused.

"I mean, you left rescue last year. Why did you do it, and what made you change your mind?" Kate felt like she was speaking out of turn, and hoped she hadn't pushed it too far.

"I left rescue because I was afraid of becoming an adrenaline junkie, always risking myself for the fun, and losing sight of what rescue is really about; rescuing people and saving lives." Lara put on her indicator, and turned the corner.

"So what made you decide to come back?" Questioned Kate.

"I stayed out of rescue for almost a year. I didn't know what to do anymore; I moped around, did a few temp jobs. About six months out, I found myself missing rescue, wanting to be able to save people again. It was around then I realised I wasn't at risk of becoming an adrenaline junkie, but of becoming dedicated. I love my job, and I'm not about to stop doing it, to put myself through that again. I would happily rescue hundreds of people, just to feel the satisfaction of saving someone's life." Kate was quiet for a while, then broke the silence.

"Doesn't having a baby change that?"

"What do you mean?" Enquired Lara.

"What happens after the baby's born? Don't most parents end up leaving their jobs?" Said Kate.

"I don't want to be one of those parents. If anything, I want to be a mum like Michelle. She's managed to do both her job as a rescue supervisor and her job as a mother, and I can't say she's failed either of them. She's got the added bonus of having Ian though." Lara said sadly.

"What do you mean?"

"Whilst she's not married to Ian, she can still ask him to take James if she needs a break, or drop him off there as an alternative to a babysitter. I won't have that; I'm an only child, and I can't expect my parents to look after a young baby." She pulled up into the hospital carpark, and looked at Kate.

"Don't get me wrong, I will have this baby, but I still wonder if it's the right thing to do. I felt the same way about rescue when I first left. It's a feeling that will pass." Kate nodded.

"I'll stay here while you get Dean," she said quietly.

"Thanks Kate." Lara jumped out of the car. Kate had asked some hard-hitting questions during that car ride, and she was glad that someone had thought to ask them. She entered the hospital doors, and found Dean sitting on a solid plastic chair, arm encased in a cast and raised in a sling.

"Lara!" He stood up quickly, a sheepish look on his face.

"I know I shouldn't have been driving. I bet Vince is pissed I totalled another patrol; that's two between us Gallagher's now." Lara smiled.

"Sit back down for a moment. I want to tell you something." A look of concern crossed his face.

"It's not bad, is it?" He asked. She shook her head, the grin still on her face.

"I've decided to keep the baby." Dean's face lit up.

"Are you serious?" She nodded. Dean leant over and hugged her awkwardly, his cast getting in the way. An apologetic look crossed his face.

"Lara, that's fantastic. I'm glad you made the right decision." She pulled him up.

"Come on, I left Kate in your precious ute. Vince is taking us for drinks to celebrate." Dean walked out of the hospital with Lara, his good arm over her shoulder. He kissed her forehead.

"I'm excited now. If I had of known your decision sooner, I probably wouldn't have gone off and gotten myself drunk. You might have saved me a broken arm!" Jested Dean.

"I went for a walk today, and that's when I decided. You had already disappeared by then You're lucky I was out there, otherwise it would have taken us longer to get to you. I watched the accident happen." She poked him in the ribs.

"You shouldn't have been driving, and you know it." He opened the driver side door, and went to climb in. Lara pushed the door closed, almost jamming his hand in the door.

"I don't think so. Your blood alcohol count will still be over, and I am not letting you drive in that condition." He glared at her, then smiled.

"I suppose it's for the best." He opened the back door. Kate was sitting in the passenger seat.

"Hey Grommet." She waved at him, and grinned.

"So if you and Lara are an item, does that mean you're becoming a daddy?"


	22. 4-4: Hike Chapter 4

**Chapter Four-**  
The next morning, Dean and Lara carpooled into work. Dean wasn't able to drive, and Lara didn't trust him otherwise. As they pulled into the driveway, Vince came out of the door.

"We've had a callout." Dean jumped out of the ute, ready and raring to go.

"Where is it Vince?"

"Blue mountains again Deano. You can't go; not with that arm in a cast. You can go with Michelle and co-ordinate, but that's it." Dean nodded, satisfied with the answer. Lara jumped into the front patrol, and Dean joined her. Vince stuck his head in the window.

"I'll meet you guys there, and fill you in once I've talked to the volunteers there." Dean and Lara nodded, and sped out of the driveway. Lachie, Chase and Kate followed in the other patrol, and Jordan and Heidi brought up the rear with the Rescue truck.

As they pulled into the dusty carpark an entourage of media was waiting for them, hungry for details. Michelle took on the news crews, and Vince took aside the teams to brief them.

"Right. We've got a Duke of Edinburgh school group lost out here." Vince was interrupted by Chase.

"What happened to their leaders?"

"You'll never believe this, but their leaders were Christina Martin and David Keller." Kate jumped in.

"The same two we rescued yesterday?" She asked, disbelief in her voice. Vince nodded.

"Yep. So we're looking for a group of eight, according to their list. Reports from locals have sightings of students all over the reserve, and we've had a phone call this morning from one of them in distress. We're splitting you up into teams, and you'll work in tandem with the volunteer teams." Vince split them up, putting Kate and Lara as a team.

"Jordan, you're team leader. Report in every ten minutes. Follow the grid search on the map you've been given." The three teams nodded their assent, and split up. Vince sat with Michelle and Dean at their command centre, and leant back, putting his hands behind his head.

"You ready for this Dean?" Asked Michelle.

"Ready for what?" Dean was pretty sure he knew what they were going to ask.

"You're going to be a dad. Are you ready for something like that?" Asked Vince, knowing full well where Michelle was going. Dean rested his head on his hand and sighed.

"I don't know. Were either of you ready to be parents?" Both shook their heads.

"No, but we adjusted to the idea pretty quickly. Don't worry Dean; we'll be there to help you and Lara through everything." Michelle patted Dean on the back. Vince chuckled, and picked up his radio.

"Heidi, Jordan. Report."

* * *

Chase and Lachie tramped through the bush, pushing aside branches and stepping over logs. They were silent, no words exchanged between them. Chase put out his arm, and put a finger to his lips.

"Did you hear that?" Lachie shook his head, and stopped behind Chase, listening. A quiet moan sounded from a little further on. Lachie radioed in their co-ordinates, and Chase pushed on.

"Hello?"

"Help me." Chase moved forward, and found a girl trapped by a tree. Her shoulder was ensnared under a large fallen tree trunk. Lachie was right behind Chase, and sucked in a deep breath when he saw her.

"Please, I can't get out," she whispered. Chase nodded.

"We'll get you out," said Chase. He was concerned over the damage it would do to her system once they got her arm free. Lachie handed her a green whistle, and conferred with Chase.

"Mate, we may not be able to save her arm. It looks like it's been under for a while, and once we move that log, she's gone get a massive dose of potassium that could stop her heart," said Lachie quietly. He didn't want to freak out their patient. Chase looked pained, and glanced at their patient.

"So what do we do?"

* * *

Heidi and Jordan walked through the bush together, Heidi discussing her wedding ideas.

"So I'm thinking a church wedding, white roses, a limo…" Jordan zoned out, not listening. He tripped, and fell flat on his face.

"Jordan! Are you ok?" Heidi came back to him, and helped him up. She brushed him down.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm ok. Stop fussing." He strode forward, face red, embarrassment flooding his features. Heidi giggled at him.

"Hello? We're down here!"

"Jordan, did you hear that?" Asked Heidi, stopping in her tracks.

"Yeah, I did. Hello?" They edged closer to the edge of the cliff. Heidi lay flat on the ground, peering over the side. Jordan held her legs.

"There! I can see them Jordan. They're huddled on a ledge. Hello? Are you alright down there?" Called Heidi.

"I'm ok, but Lucy isn't. She knocked her head, and she hasn't woken up. We can't get out of here."

"It's ok, we'll get down to you and get you out soon," Heidi responded. Jordan pulled her back up. Heidi wiped down her pants, and spoke.

"We need ropes and a spine board, and probably an extra pair of hands."

* * *

Kate and Lara jumped over some rocks, and headed down the slight incline, being careful of roots and fallen branches.

"I can't believe Tiny and David would have lost a group of kids. I thought they were more responsible than that." Kate kicked a rock viciously.

"We'll find them Kate." Lara spotted a backpack, and ran to it. Kate picked it up.

"One of our missing kids?" Lara asked, turning it around. The name read Jodie Spears. Kate looked away, and then inhaled quickly.

"What is it?" Asked Lara. Kate pointed wordlessly to a shoe sticking out of a bush nearby, and sprinted towards it. Lara got to their patient first, and turned the body over. It was a scrawny boy. She looked up at Kate.

"Do you know who this is?" She shook her head. Lara checked his vitals.

"His pulse is weak and thready, and he looks like he's running a temperature." Kate looked down at his leg.

"Lara, I think he's been bitten by a snake."

* * *

Lachie and Chase worked in perfect unison, working to turn the log into smaller, manageable pieces. After they'd moved most of the log, Chase and Lachie turned their attentions to their patient. Her face was glistening as she struggled to hold in the tears of pain. She was gasping as she sobbed.

"Hey, you need to calm down. We're at the last piece, and we need to do this carefully. Lachie, can you grab me a sodium bic solution?" Lachie nodded, and prepared the needle. Chase spoke to the girl.

"We're going to move this last section. While we're doing it, we're going to inject a solution to help get rid of the potassium." The girl was visibly shaking now. Lachie pulled out an oxygen mask, and secured it over her face.

"We'll look after you. We'll get you out." Lachie stood up, and moved into position.

"You ready Chasie?" Chase nodded his head, getting a line in the girls arm. Lachie lifted the piece slowly. She started shaking violently.

"Stop!" Called Chase, he injected the sodium solution.

"Come on, stay with me!" Her convulsions slowed. Chase gave the signal, and Lachie lifted the log higher, finally flinging it away. Their patient's eyes rolled back in her head as she succumbed to the pain. Chase smiled up at Lachie.

"We did it."

* * *

Heidi stood, leaning over the edge.

"Anyone else able to come help us?" She called to Jordan.

"Michelle's coming through now," he responded.

"Michelle? Why Michelle?"

"Because Heidi, the other two teams are busy with their own patients, and I won't allow Dean or Vince to come do this. I'm still a fully qualified RSO officer," Michelle yelled over the edge. Heidi's face turned red, almost matching her auburn hair. She abseiled down to their two patients.

"How are you doing?" She asked as she neared them. The boy spoke.

"Lucy's hurt." Heidi nodded.

"We'll get her up. Are you ok? What's your name?"

"Caleb Wright. I'm fine." Heidi noticed a gash on his lower leg.

"You look like you've taken a bit of a scraping there." He batted her away.

"I'm fine. I just tried to climb off this stupid ledge, and now I'm stuck here." Heidi muttered under her breath. She secured the harness around him, and waved to Jordan and Michelle, who hoisted Caleb up. After they'd got him up and over the edge, Jordan and Michelle lowered a spine board down to Heidi and Lucy. She gently transferred Lucy onto the board, and gestured to Michelle and Jordan to pull her up. A group of volunteers took Caleb and Lucy to the carpark, where ambulances waited to take them to the local hospital. Michelle leant over the edge.

"You ready to come up Heidi-Ho?" Heidi laughed, attaching her medi-kit to her back.

"You bet Michelle." Heidi started her ascent, when she felt the rope slip. She clung onto the rope for dear life.

"Jordan! Help!"

* * *

Lara and Kate secured a tourniquet around their patient's leg. A group of volunteers met them in their area with a stretcher, and took him straight out to an ambulance, where he would be treated in hospital. Kate and Lara brushed themselves up, and picked up their kits. They continued walking, until someone ran straight into Kate. She fell backwards. Lara grabbed the stranger.

"Who are you?"

"Please," he said breathlessly, "she needs your help!" Lara looked at Kate.

"Who needs our help?"

"Jodie," he panted, and turned heel. The two girls dashed after him, hurtling through the bushes after him. He came to a stop near a girl, lying prone on the ground. He dropped next to her.

"I don't know what's wrong with her. She started slurring her words, and then this happened." He ran his fingers through his hair.

"What do I do?" Kate took him aside, talking to him softly. Lara cleared the rocks away from Jodie's head, and checked her airways. She looked at her wrist, where a warning bracelet was attached.

"Grommet, get your dad on the radio, tell him we need help getting her out. We've got a diabetic in distress." Kate grabbed her radio.

"Rescue Portable Seven to Rescue Command, Dad, we need some help here."

"What's going on Kate?"

"We've got a diabetic in distress. Her blood sugar is in her boots, and Lara needs help to get her out."

"Righto Grommet. Give me your co-ordinates and I'll have someone out there in five minutes."

* * *

Heidi clung to her only lifeline, feeling it slip away.

"Jordan?" She heard nothing, only grunting. He was holding her body weight, trying to stop her from falling any further. Michelle radioed for help, and grabbed the rest of the rope, trying to pull Heidi up. Heidi's arms started to fatigue as she hung there precariously, and she felt herself fall a few more inches.

"Guys, I can't hold on much longer!" She yelled. She slipped another inch.

"Hold on Heidi!" Shouted Michelle. Heidi's arms chose that moment to give up and let go, and she found herself falling, faster and faster. She hit the ledge with an audible thump, the dust billowing around her. Jordan and Michelle fell back as the slack caught up with them. Jordan scrambled forward. He peered over the edge, looking for her. He spotted her on the ledge, her body lifeless. Michelle appeared next to him, breathless.

"Is she ok?" She asked, catching her breath.

"Dunno. She hasn't moved yet." Jordan called out to her.

"Heidi. Heidi!"


	23. 4-4: Hike Chapter 5

**Chapter Five-**  
Lachie and Chase ran towards the cliff edge. Chase's heart was frozen in fear as he thought about who had fallen over the edge. Bags slapping against the backs of their legs, adrenaline spurring them on, they reached the ledge where Jordan and Michelle were lying.

"What happened?" Asked Chase breathlessly, flinging his pack off his back.

"Heidi fell, the rope slipped." Jordan climbed up, and brushed himself down.

"Is she alright?" Asked Lachie, securing ropes to a new anchor point. Chase helped Michelle up.

"She hasn't moved. We need to get down her." Jordan ran his hands through his hair, concern filling his entire being. Lachie double checked his harness, and leant over the edge.

"Alright, I'm going down. Chasie, hook yourself up, I might need you down there as well." Chase nodded, and jumped into action. Michelle noticed Jordan struggling to get himself into a harness. She stopped him, a hand on his chest.

"I've got to get down there."

"You can't Jordan; it's a conflict of interest. Let Lachie and Chase get to her." Jordan swiped her hand away.

"She's my fiancée; I need to get down to her!" He swore at Michelle, and tried to push her away.

"Jordan, stop. You can't do this!" He stopped, running his hands through his dusty hair. He looked at Michelle, desperation across his face.

"What if something's happened to her? What would I do without her?" Michelle tried to soothe him.

"Jordan, she'll be ok. Heidi's a strong girl, she'll be ok. Let Lachie and Chase assess her, and you can pull yourself together. We need to get her up here, and we'll need your help." He nodded, and went over to the edge, watching Lachie and Chase as the abseiled quickly down the side. Lachie reached her first. She coughed a little, trying to suck in a breath.

"Hey, take it easy." He checked her over.

"I think you've just got a few bruises, but you'll be right," Lachie announced cheerfully. Chase made it down to her next.

"You ok Heidi?" He asked. She nodded.

"Just a bit winded," she gasped. He nodded.

"Yeah, falling down the side of a cliff does that to you." She smiled weakly.

"Let's get you topside so your future husband can check you over. He was pretty frantic up there." She tried to get up, and Lachie helped her, securing a harness around her. She felt stupid now, like she was a fragile woman.

"I can do it." Lachie held his hands back, allowing her to reach around and tighten the harness. Chase climbed back up the top to help Michelle and Jordan hoist Heidi up. As she got to the ledge, she felt Chase and Jordan grab her under the arms and lift her to her feet. She allowed herself to be smothered in a hug from Jordan, but pulled away after some time.

"Jordan, I'm fine." He kissed her forehead, and looked in her eyes.

"I was just worried about you babe."

* * *

Kate felt elated. She had helped save a patient, and the thrill couldn't compare to anything she'd ever done in her life, including her surfing. She knew she was in the right job. Lara patted her on the back.

"You did it Grommet. Saved someone's life. How does it feel?" Kate smiled.

"It feels excellent." They packed up their gear. The ambo officers had taken Jodie out, and were taking her to the hospital for monitoring. Lara radioed into base, updating them.

"Vince, how many have we got left to find?" Vince checked his sheet.

"We've still got three to find. We've had five come in already." Kate sighed. The day seemed to be getting longer.

"Who have we got missing?" Asked Lara. Vince read out the names.

"An Angela Lei, Rhys Pitt and Kaylah Reid. Good luck finding them."

"Thanks Vince. Any word on the other two teams?"

"Not yet, I'll let you know if there is." Lara clicked off her radio, and motioned over to Kate.

"Come on, let's go." They pulled their packs over their shoulders, and traipsed away. Crashing through undergrowth, pushing aside tree branches, Kate and Lara pushed forward. They would have kept going, had they not heard screaming.

"Stop! Please! Stop it!" With barely a glance to each other, Kate and Lara pressed on, breaking into a sprint. They almost missed a young girl hiding by the rocks. It was only that Kate caught a glimpse of her jet black hair.

"Hey," said Kate. The girl nearly jumped out of her skin, frightened. Kate crouched down next to her.

"It's alright. We're with Rescue Special Ops."

"My name's Angela. Please, you have to get to Kaylah. They're fighting." She dissolved into tears.

"Ok, you stay here. Kate, can you radio for one of the boys? Lachie would be the better choice." Kate nodded, sitting beside Angela. She reached for her radio.

"Rescue Portable Seven to Rescue Portable Six, Lachie, we need you here." Lachie answered his radio.

"Rescue Portable Six to Rescue Portable Seven, what's the problem Kate?"

"We think we've found all the missing students. Two of them are having a fight, and it's not looking good." Lachie motioned to Chase.

"We'll be there in two minutes. Hang tight."

* * *

Lara crept around, trying to see if she could see Kaylah or Rhys. She could hear them, but had yet to lay eyes on them. She could hear them arguing, Rhys was threatening her. She stepped on a twig, wincing as the sound echoed all around. She could feel her blood pounding in her ears, adrenaline racing as she crept forward. She felt almost ill with the apprehension of coming face to face with this boy. Who knew what he was capable of? As she stepped forward, she felt light-headed. She realised she hadn't eaten since breakfast, and was in definite trouble. She sat down on the spot where she was standing, and took some deep breaths. She could feel herself in the beginnings of a faint. She silently cursed herself for not bringing anything with her, as she passed out in the middle of the clearing.

* * *

Chase and Lachie sprinted for Kate's location, leaving the others to wonder what had happened. Kate stayed hidden with Angela. She'd been told by a superior not to move, and she wasn't about to disobey an order. She heard another scream, and Angela trembled next to her. A crackling of twigs alerted her to someone coming. It was Lachie. He crouched down to where her and Angela were hiding.

"Kate, where's Lara?" She pointed.

"She went along there." Another yell. Lachie's ears pricked up.

"Stay here. When Chase catches up, get him to take Angela back to the command centre, get her looked after. Go with him. We'll radio back if we need you." Kate nodded. Lachie crept forward, his tactical military training taking over.

"Rhys, don't! No, stop!" He heard a resounding slap. Lachie wondered for a moment where Lara was. He hadn't heard from her yet. That thought was pushed aside when he heard Rhys finally speak.

"I'll teach you to sleep with someone else. How dare you do that to me? My reputation is ruined!" The anger in his voice was strong. Lachie heard a click, and recognised it instantly as a loaded gun. He stepped forward out of the shadows, holding his hands raised in a sign of surrender.

"Don't shoot," he called. Rhys waved the gun around.

"I'm gonna kill her. She killed my chances for scholarship, and told everybody how I raped her. I didn't do anything!" He was almost hysterical.

"Mate, there's no need to do anything rash. Stay calm." Lachie tried to keep the situation in hand, whilst looking for Lara.

"Nothing stupid? She's ruined my life!" Lachie took a step forward.

"Get back!" The boy screamed. Kaylah stood there in the clearing, trembling, tears streaming down her face.

"Come on. It can't be that bad." He lowered his rifle for a moment.

"You have no idea." Lachie heard a rustling in the bushes, and tried to ignore it, hoping Rhys wouldn't hear it. He did though, and his guard was raised again.

"Who else is here?" He demanded.

"No-one mate, there's only us here."

"I don't believe you!" Chase came out of no-where and tackled Rhys, jostling the gun. A deafening crack sounded in the clearing, and Kaylah dropped like a rock. Chase rolled off Rhys, groaning, and curled up. Lachie removed the threatening gun, disarming it and putting it next to his pack. Jordan, Kate and Michelle appeared in the clearing, having followed Chase back. Heidi had stayed with Dean and Vince, under Jordan's orders.

"Lachie, what do you need us to do?" Asked Jordan, pulling his kit off his back.

"Hold down that kid until we can take him. Michelle and Kate, you look after Kaylah. I need to check on Chase." Lachie stepped over to Chase.

"Chasie, you alright?" Chase groaned.

"I'm fine; he just got me in the crown jewels." Lachie laughed. Jordan held Rhys's hands behind his back, twisting his arm.

"Michelle, how's Kaylah?"

"She's been shot in the upper thigh. It's just missed the femoral artery I think, but she's going to need fluids and a blood transfusion at the hospital. She'll be alright." They applied a pressure bandage to her leg to stop the bleeding. Chase took a hold of Rhys's wrists as Jordan went to help Lachie lift Kaylah, to move her out. Michelle packed up the medi-kits, and the team moved out of the bush. They took Kaylah and Rhys back to the carpark, where an ambulance and a police car were waiting. They transferred Kaylah into the ambulance, and they sped away, sirens blaring. Rhys was handed over to the police, along with the confiscated gun. They packed up the gear, and put it away into the patrols. As Dean was helping Lachie pack up the gear, he turned to him, shock on his face.

"What's up Dean?" Asked Lachie. His face went white.

"Where's Lara?" Lachie's faced paled as well.

"Jordan, Grommet, Chase. Grab your kits." Lachie wanted to move quickly. They were losing daylight fast.

"What's going on Dean?" Asked Chase as he struggled to pull his kit out of the patrol.

"Lara's still out there." Michelle grabbed one of the extra kits.

"I'm going too," she said simply. Dean stopped her.

"Michelle, should you real…" She cut him off.

"Dean, I'm going to go with the teams and find her. Vince, I've got radio eight. Radio us if you hear anything from her." Michelle grabbed a muesli bar from her bag.

"What's that for?" Asked Vince.

"If I know Lara, I bet she's missed lunch. She forgets she's eating for two now." Michelle dashed off. She joined Lachie and Grommet, and the two teams spread out. It was getting dark now, and all team members were concerned for Lara, and the possibility of having to do a night rescue, something not permitted in the rescue handbook. As they traced back their steps, Lachie gritted his teeth.

"Come on Lara, where are you?"


	24. 4-4: Hike Chapter 6

**Chapter Six-**  
"Lara! Lara!" Michelle called out for her, hoping she would answer. Kate trampled through the bush next to her.

"Lara!" Lachie brought up the rear of their team, peering over Michelle's head.

"Chase, Jordan, any signs?" Asked Lachie.

"No, not yet. We'll keep you posted." Lachie, Michelle and Kate reached the clearing where Kate had last seen Lara.

"Which way did she go Grommet?" Asked Michelle. Kate pointed.

"She went that way, and I haven't seen her since." Michelle took charge.

"Right, Lachie and Kate, you continue in this area. I'll head in the direction Lara was originally going. Check in around ten minutes." Lachie and Kate nodded. Michelle foraged on further, heading away from the pair. She spotted a blonde lock of hair, and ran forward to it. Lara was lying on the ground, eyes closed. Michelle grabbed her radio.

"Lachie, Kate. I've found her. Follow down the track a little further, and you should see me."

"Is she alright?" Asked Lachie, heading her direction.

"I think she's just fainted, but just to be safe, she should go to the hospital to be checked up on." Lachie crashed through a nearby shrub. Michelle was checking Lara's pulse, watching the second hand on her watch. He knelt down, as Lara's eyes started fluttering. She saw Lachie and Michelle hovering over her, and tried to sit up quickly.

"Woah, hold your horses. Take it easy." Lachie put his hand behind her as she slowly sat up. She looked from Michelle to Lachie, and then to Kate, who was standing behind them.

"What happened?" She asked softly. Michelle pulled out the muesli bar and handed it to Lara.

"Eat it. If I know you well enough, and I think I do, you forgot to have lunch today." Lara nodded, and unwrapped the bar. After she'd eaten it, she tried to stand, Lachie supporting her the whole time. She was unsteady on her feet, and stumbled a little as she stepped forward. Michelle and Kate walked next to her, ready to catch her if she fell. When the got to the carpark, and ambulance was waiting for Lara. She grimaced as she saw it.

"Really Michelle?" She groaned. Dean sprinted forward as he saw them, Heidi right behind him.

"Lara! Are you ok?" She nodded, pushing him away. She felt embarrassed now, after having Michelle, Lachie and Kate find her passed out on the ground. Michelle and Kate led her over to the ambulance, and she climbed in, her face inflamed. Dean jumped in beside her.

"I'll go with you." Michelle and the team farewelled the ambulance, and returned to packing up their gear. Jordan and Heidi packed up their patrol in record time. He turned to her and kissed her on the lips.

"I was worried for you today babe." She nodded, feeling his strong arms encircle her.

"I know, and I love you for that." She leant up and kissed him back.

"Dinner, my place tonight?"

* * *

Dean sat in the waiting room near emergency, killing time whilst he waited for Lara. She sat inside, waiting for the nurses to come back with her test results. The suspense was tearing her apart. When the doctor flung open the curtain, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Well Lara, we've got the results of your blood test." She jiggled impatiently.

"You're slightly anaemic, but that's not what we're concerned about." She looked the man in the eyes.

"Well, what are you concerned about?"

"You've got gestational diabetes." A look of shock crossed her face.

"What?" He repeated himself. She sat there, still and motionless.

"We'll give you a new diet to follow, you'll need to keep up the physical activity, and we'll monitor your blood glucose levels." He gave her a letter.

"This is for your obstetrician to update their records." He showed her out of the examination room, back to where Dean was.

"Stay healthy Lara." Dean stood up. She hadn't quite absorbed the information yet.

"Everything ok?" He'd called Chase to come and get the pair of them. She nodded, not sure if she should tell him yet. Chase pulled up into the drive, and Dean and Lara climbed in.

"Everything alright?" He asked as he pulled away from the curb?

"I'm fine," snapped Lara. Chase chuckled.

"Trouble in paradise?" Dean swiped his arm.

"Leave it Chase." Lara sat in the back, staring out the window, absorbed in her own thoughts. Chase glanced at the rear view mirror.

"You okay back there Lara?" He asked, concerned.

"I'll be fine Chase."

* * *

Michelle sat in the office, sorting through paperwork. Vince stuck his head through the door.

"I'm leaving now. You okay to lock up?" She nodded.

"Yeah, just going to finish some paperwork. Have you heard from Lara?"

"Deano just called me. She's alright, not talking much. He's gonna take her home and let her get some rest." Michelle nodded.

"I'm glad Kate's training up." Vince looked at her.

"Why's that?" He asked.

"Well, Lara will have some time where she's not available, when the baby needs her. If we have Kate fully trained by then, we'll have a back-up plan." Vince smiled.

"So how's she doing in her field experience?" Asked Michelle.

"Oh you know, the same way all newbies go. They make mistakes, but with people like Chase and Lachie peering over your shoulder, you learn how to fix them pretty quickly." Michelle laughed, and closed her folder.

"Forget this; I'm going home."

"Best thing you've said all day." They exited headquarters, and separated to their own cars. Michelle noticed a slip of paper on her car, flapping in the breeze.

_Leave him alone, or James gets it. Consider yourself warned._

* * *

_A woman stood hidden in the shadows..._


	25. 4-5: Distress Chapter 1

_EPISODE 4.5 – Distress._

Disclaimer – I don't own the Rescue Series, but miss it dearly since it left TV. This is Episode Five, and follows on from Season Four, Episode Four – Hike. It is recommended you read the first through to the fourth episode before continuing on with this one.

* * *

**Chapter One-**  
Lara and Dean lay in bed together, enjoying the warmth whilst a wicked storm raged outside. He kissed her forehead.

"I know it's been over a month since that rescue, but are you ready to tell me what the doctor told you?" Lara shook her head, and kissed him on the chest.

"Not yet." They lay in bed together, the wind howling, rain pounding against the window. She snuggled closer to him.

"Let's just enjoy the rain."

The next morning, as Dean and Lara got ready, Dean's mobile rang.

"Hey Vince." He was silent for a while, seriousness etched across his face.

"We'll meet you there." He closed his phone with a snap, and hurriedly pulled on his own uniform, struggling to do the buttons up quickly.

"What was that about?" She asked.

"We've had a serious callout. Two people trapped under a tree that fell on their house. Vince and the team are going to meet us there." She nodded, pulling on her Rescue uniform.

"Let's go." They climbed into Dean's ute, and pulled out into the street.

"Where is it?" She asked.

"24 Darvall Street, St Leonards." Lara's face paled.

"Dean," she whispered, gripping his arm tightly, "That's my father's house." Dean floored the accelerator.

"Stay calm Lara. We'll get to him, it'll be ok," Dean tried to reassure her. He knew stress wasn't good for the baby, and he knew this was going to be a trying day.

"Just hurry up and get there."

* * *

Vince and the others had already got there by the time Lara and Dean arrived. Lara jumped out straight away and ran toward the house.

"Dad!" She called. Vince looked at Dean.

"What's going on Deano?"

"This is her dad's house." Vince looked at the sheet, and his face whitened.

"It didn't occur to me that Bill Knight was even remotely related to Lara." Dean looked over at her. She started to scale the unsteady building.

"Aunt Gina?"

"Lara! No!" Dean ran over to her, and pulled her down.

"You can't do that."

"Why not? They're my family." She started to cry, and he pulled her close.

"Shh," he said, smoothing her hair, and kissing her on the head.

"What if they're not ok?"

"They'll be fine Lara. Let Heidi and Jordan get into them. Chase and Lachie are perfectly capable of doing this without us. Come sit over here." He led her to the back of the patrol, and sat her just inside. She grabbed his arm.

"Dean, I want you in there helping to find them. Please." He nodded.

"I'll make Vince stay with you." She shook her head.

"I'll be fine, just go." Dean sprinted away. They were moving parts of the fallen tree, trying to get to the broken structure. They moved systematically, like a well-oiled machine. A weak cry stopped them in their tracks.

"Help me, please." Dean held up a hand.

"Hello? Gina, is that you?"

"Yes. Is Lara there?"

"She's here Mrs Knight. She's helping Vince."

"Oh good." Dean moved towards where he could hear voice, and found her trapped underneath a supporting beam. He moved some sheeting with Chase's help, and she squinted against the glare of the sun beaming down on her.

"Hi Gina. We'll get you out of there as soon as possible." Heidi crept past Dean and moved over to check Gina's vitals. Jordan and Lachie kept working on the rest of the house, moving away debris. They stopped when they found a pooling puddle of blood.

"Dean!" They called. Lara saw her chance, and slipped past Vince to where Heidi was assessing Gina. Dean moved carefully across the unstable structure towards Lachie and Jordan, Chase staying with Heidi and her patient.

"Aunt Gina?" A tear slipped down her cheek as she crouched down near her head. Heidi looked at Lara, and then turned her attention back to her patient.

"Oh baby. I'll be alright." Lara stroked her aunt's hair out of her face.

"It will be. Don't worry." Heidi took Lara aside.

"Her blood pressure is too low. I think she's bleeding out somewhere, possibly internally." Lara's face blanched, and then she shifted into action.

"Then we need to get her out." She scrabbled across the shattered tiles and started pulling things off. Heidi followed her.

"Lara, stop!" Dean heard Lara's name, and turned.

"What are you doing?"

"I need to get her out. She's going to die!" She struggled to lift a beam. The shifting movement caused her aunt's body to move, and the monitors started beeping urgently. Heidi ran around to where Gina was.

"She's crashing!" Jordan jumped down off the building and ran for the defibrillator, but Lara beat him to it. She grabbed it, and whirled around, sprinting for Heidi. She pulled open the kit with shaking hands, and attached the pad. As soon as it was charged, she hit the pulse button. Gina's body jumped up with the shock, and relaxed again. Still the monitor showed nothing.

"Come on!" Lara cried, tears running down her face. She pressed the button again. A jolt, still nothing.

"Please Aunt Gina, don't leave me. I need you." Lara pressed the button. A shock swept through Gina's body, and the monitors started blipping gently, indicating she was alive.

"She's back!" Called Heidi. The team let out a collective sigh of relief. Dean went back to Jordan and Lachie, and Lara and Chase worked to free her aunt. Jordan took Dean aside.

"Lara ok?" Dean nodded.

"She'll be fine.

"We've found Bill. He's unconscious, but still breathing for the moment. He's trapped under his bookcase." Dean nodded.

"Ok, let's work at getting him out." Jordan moved forward, back to moving debris off the man. Lachie tossed aside roof shingles and bits of wall like they were feather light, desperate to get to the man for Lara's sake. As Jordan pulled away the last pressing beam, Dean jumped down to where Bill lay.

"Lachie, toss me down a medi-kit." Lachie slung his off his shoulder, and dropped it down to Dean. He pulled out the oxygen and put the mask around Bill's face. His vitals were ok and he was a good colour.

"Jordan, can you come down here, help me move this case?" Jordan climbed down into the hollowed out area and joined Dean. Together they hoisted the heavy book shelving off Bill's still body. Lachie passed them down a spine board, and Dean and Jordan transferred him onto it. Dean and Jordan lifted the board, passing it up to Lachie and Chase. The four of them transferred Bill into the back of the ambulance.

"Dad?" Lara ran toward the back of the ambulance. Dean grabbed her.

"Lara, they'll take care of him. Stay calm," he said firmly.

"How can I stay calm? You pulled my father out of a building unconscious!" She tried to escape his grip, but he kept a firm on her.

"Let me go!"

"Lara, please. Go back to Gina. Help Heidi with her. Vince will go with Bill; make sure he's ok for you." She nodded, and turned back to the house, heading for Heidi and her aunt. Chase and Lachie had moved back to shifting some of the wreckage keeping her aunt pinned, transferring the mess carefully. Lara stroked her aunt's hair out of her way, Heidi sitting next to her keeping a watchful eye on Gina's vitals. The boys finally got down to the last beam, the one keeping Gina trapped.

"Ok, stop," said Dean.

"We need to do this carefully." Working in tandem pairs, the boys shifted the beam slowly and carefully. Heidi monitored Gina, watching for a spike or peak. The boys tossed the beam away over towards the pile they had slowly been creating. Heidi and Lara shifted Gina onto a spine board, and lifted her up. Lara was feeling dizzy, and indicated to put the board down. They lowered it, and Lara sat down quickly. Dean rushed over.

"You okay?" She smiled weakly.

"Just a little dizzy, I'll be fine." He nodded, and patted her on the back.

"Okay. Sit for a while until it passes, and I'll help Heidi with Gina." He moved onto the other side of Heidi, but before he could lift the board, the monitors started beeping again.

"She's not breathing!" Heidi checked her vitals, and hooked up the defib again. She sent a shock along the pads, but nothing happened. Heidi continued in this fashion, until Dean put an arm on hers.

"Call it Heidi. She's gone." Heidi had tears streaming down her face, and felt for Lara, and the pain she was going to feel in a few minutes.

"You can't stop, Dean! She's my aunt!" He stood up quickly, and caught her before she got to the defib.

"Don't Lara. It's too late. She's gone." She beat her fists against his chest, and he held her for a few minutes, until she pushed him away. He looked her once, and then returned to Heidi and the board. Together they loaded Gina into the back of the ambulance, and closed the doors. Jordan embraced Heidi, watching as her tears fell. Lara sat on the ground, arms folded around her knees, as she watched her world spiral further out of control…


	26. 4-5: Distress Chapter 2

**Chapter Two-**  
Lara sat on the curb, head in her hands. Her heart was pounding as she contemplated life without her dear aunt. Dean came over to her, and she stood up, shaking slightly. She felt light-headed and dizzy.

"Lara? Are you alright?" She waved off his concerns.

"I'll be fine, I just need a hug." He pulled her close against his rough rescue uniform. The whole team felt Lara's sadness and despair. Jordan, Lachie, Chase and Heidi packed up in the background, trying to be quiet. Lara sobbed against Dean's chest as he held.

"What am I supposed to do without my aunt? She's the one who would have bought all the baby things, stayed with me the whole time. She's my aunt, she's supposed to be in control. What am I going to do?" Dean stroked her back, holding her close before he spoke.

"Lara, I will always stand by you no matter what. I've told you that time and time again. Michelle will impart her baby wisdom on you whether you ask for it or not, and we'll all help with the baby stuff. Your baby will pretty much become Rescue property, and will be well and truly looked after by loving aunties and uncles." She smiled up at his face.

"Thanks Dean." She kissed him on the lips, and moved away.

"We better help them clean up."

* * *

Jordan and Heidi went home afterwards, both lost in their own thoughts. They went to Jordan's house, and sat together on the couch. They needed a rest for a while before even think about lunch. Jordan lay back on the couch, and Heidi nestled in next to him, and intertwined her fingers with his.

"I feel so bad for Lara. I mean, losing your aunt. That's a big thing, especially with a baby on the way." Jordan kissed the top of her head.

"I know how she feels. It's like the biggest hole in your heart." Heidi looked up at him.

"How would you know?" She asked, puzzled.

"My dad died a few years back, before I was rescued by Dean. He was killed in a car accident, the car was hit by a semi-trailer. The other driver had fallen asleep at the wheel. Dad had no chance. After he was gone, I was so angry with the world, convinced that some entity higher than me had just taken him away in some bizarre act of cruelty. That's when I started street-racing. I needed the adrenaline to feel; I was so numb after he died. Like someone had taken away a limb. It wasn't until I had my accident that I realised I was being ridiculous, that while yeah, he was gone, he was still a part of me. It's taken me a long time to get to that point. So I can relate to how Lara will be feeling." Heidi laid her head back on his chest.

"I had no idea; you never told me."

"You never asked me." She laughed.

"Do you think she'll be ok?" She asked.

"Dean will look out for her. She'll be fine."

"I hope so."

* * *

Lara sat in the patrol, Dean driving. She noticed her heart pounding, and could feel the sweat beading on her forehead.

"Hey Dean, do you think we could stop for lunch?" She asked, trying to keep her voice steady. He nodded, and pulled into the car park near the local fish and chip shop. She dashed inside, and bought a fruit drink, guzzling it. Dean followed her in at a more sedate pace, and ordered lunch for them both.

"You a bit thirsty there Lara?" He joked. She nodded at him. She needed to avert a hypoglycaemic attack, and the juice was the quickest way to do that. Lunch would help her feel better as well. She didn't want to collapse in front of Dean, and then him find out. She didn't want to stress him anymore than he had been. They sat in their favourite booth, and Dean opened up the greasy paper, spreading it flat. Lara devoured almost half the pile of chips, savouring every bite. Dean looked at her, astonished.

"Geez Lara, I know you're eating for two, but this is a little far." She nodded, and pulled back a little.

"I know, I'm just so hungry." They finished quickly. Dean offered to drive her to the hospital to see her Dad. Vince had given them no news so far. She climbed back into the patrol, eager to get to the hospital, to see her father.

When they arrived, she practically flung herself out of the patrol and dashed inside. She saw Vince, and stopped in her tracks. Tears streamed down his usually composed face.

"What? What is it Vince?" He tried to take a deep breath.

"I'm so sorry Lara. Your dad had a heart incident on the way here. He didn't make it." He cried harder, sorrow filling his heart.

"No. He was still alive when he left the accident site!" She spun on her heel and ran out the door, tears blurring her own vision. She ran past Dean, who called her name. She didn't look back at him. She didn't know where she was going to go, she just had to get away. She now had no family, no-one to really turn to when things got rough. Her baby would never know it's grandparents. She sobbed harder, but kept running. She might be almost eight weeks pregnant, but it wasn't going to stop her. She pounded the pavement, struggling to see where she was going. She stopped when she finally got to a park, and sat under one of the leafy tree's, and cried harder than she had ever cried before. She knew the stress wasn't good for the baby, but her heart was aching so badly from the loss of her family that she didn't care. She gasped as she sobbed.

"Why me?"

* * *

Dean stayed with Vince for a little while longer, then offered to drop him back to the station. Kate would take him home from there. After checking at HQ, and not finding her there, Dean started scouring the streets for Lara. He didn't want her to be alone with her grief. He had no idea what she would do. He tried calling her phone, but she didn't answer. He grabbed Chase and Lachie, and got them to come help him look for her.

* * *

Lara tried to dry the fast-flowing tears, but struggled. She could feel herself shaking, and felt faint. Her stomach growled quietly at her, and sweat beaded gently on her forehead. She knew something was going to happen, and knew it would happen soon. She pushed herself up the trunk of the tree, struggling to stand. She tried to walk back to civilisation on unsteady legs, and knew it wouldn't work. She realised she needed Dean, and with shaking fingers, dialled his number. He picked up on the first ring.

"Lara, where are you?" He asked, concerned.

"I don't know, I need you though. Something's going to happen."

"What's going to happen?"

"I don't want to tell you, you'll be angry." Her voice was wavering.

"Lara, I'm conferencing this call to Chase and Lachie in the other patrol." He pressed his phone, and brought Chase and Lachie into the confusing conversation.

"Did you find her?" Asked Chase.

"Well, yes and no. She's on the line now, and she won't tell me where she is, or what's going on," said Dean angrily.

"I'm in a park. I can't remember how I got here though." Lara sat down quickly, feeling her world spin around her.

"Describe what you can see." She did so, her words starting to slur.

"Lara, stay with me," said Dean, now concerned more than angry.

"I'm trying." Her head ached, and all she wanted to do was sleep. She struggled to keep her eyes open.

"I know where she is Dean, it's the park near the hospital," said Chase suddenly. Dean swore, and pulled a U-turn in front of traffic. He flipped on the sirens. Something was happening to Lara, and he had to get there now.

Lara watched as her world swayed and tilted in front of her, confusing. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her head felt like someone had smashed it in. She rubbed her slight baby bump.

"I'm sorry baby," she murmured. She closed her eyes, her body feeling like it was tilting a swaying in a strong breeze. She leaned back, and lay on the ground. At least if she did faint, she wouldn't fall very far.

"Dean, where are you?"

* * *

The wheels spun on the patrol as Dean pushed it to its limits. Lachie and Chase followed closely behind, their own siren blazing. He screeched to a halt at the curb near the park.

"Grab your medi-kit's," he instructed, jumping the low fence.

"Lara!" He called. He couldn't see her. Lachie and Chase fanned out, trying to cover as much ground as possible. They would have given up, had they not noticed the crowd of people at the far side of the park. The three Gallagher brothers sprinted towards the throng of people.

"Move, get out of the way!" They got to the centre, only to discover they were breaking up a fight between two adolescents. Dean continued scanning the park, until he spotted a shaking figure in the opposite corner.

"Lara!" He yelled. Chase and Lachie followed him as he dashed toward the person. As they got closer they saw the blonde hair and the rescue uniform, and they knew for certain it was Lara. Dean got to her first, sliding across the grass. Her necklace was choking her in the midst of her convulsions. He ripped it off and handed it to Chase, who pocketed it. She gasped involuntarily. Lachie pulled out his mobile and dialled triple 000. They arrived in minutes. Dean watched as they loaded her into the ambulance, and got in with her. Chase could take back the other patrol. He held her hand, rubbing it gently as she lay on the stretcher, unconscious.

"Oh Lara, what have you done?"


	27. 4-5: Distress Chapter 3

**Chapter Three-**  
The paramedic pushed him aside, to get the monitors attached. They arrived at the hospital and were ushered in straight away. The doctor grabbed her file on the way past. He directed his questions at Dean, and they came thick and fast. Things like whether she had eaten, whether she was complaining of abdominal pain. Dean's head spun as the doctor continued hounding him for answers. After he raised his hands in defeat and said he didn't know anymore, he was left alone. They did a blood test, and left the room. Five minutes later they came running back in, one of the nurses brandishing a needle.

"What's going on?" Demanded Dean.

"She's a diabetic, why didn't you tell us? She's in a hypoglycaemic state, and she needs glucagon. Roll her into the recovery position," she ordered the other nurses in the room. The nurse pushed the needle into Lara's IV line, and stood there, watching. The other nurse watched the time.

"What are you doing?" Asked Dean. He felt so confused.

"It should take her fifteen minutes to come out of it." He nodded, and waited. Time ticked by slowly, seeming to mock him. He wrung his hands nervously, biding the time. After fifteen minutes, she opened her eyes. The nurses were over her like flies, checking vitals of both her and the baby, and they had an ultrasound technician come in to check on the baby. The technician, Jenny, ushered the nurses out of the room.

"Hi Lara, my name's Jenny. We're going to take a look at you and your bubby, and see how you're going." Lara nodded, nervous. Dean sat next to her, holding her hand. Jenny squeezed some gel onto Lara's bump, and smeared it across using the ultrasound wand.

"Alright, let's see what we've got." She looked across the screen, observing.

"How far along are you Lara?" She asked.

"About six or so weeks." Jenny looked at the screen again, and looked back at Lara.

"Are you sure?" Lara nodded.

"That's what my obstetrician worked out." Jenny looked puzzled.

"Why, what's wrong?" Asked Dean, reading the look on Jenny's face. Lara tried to sit up to see her face.

"Well, based on your baby's development, you're about twelve weeks along. You're so fit that you're not showing as much." Lara sighed, and leant back.

"How long has it been since you've been to the obstetrician?" Asked Jenny.

"Around six wee…" Lara trailed off. Jenny nodded.

"You forgot to add on those weeks." Dean smiled.

"Other than that, you're fine. I see your obstetrician noted on here you don't want to know the gender of your baby?" Lara shook her head.

"No thank you." Jenny smiled, and stood up.

"I'll see you later Lara, when you're about eighteen weeks." Lara nodded, and Jenny exited the room. Dean sat next to her on the chair, and put his head in his hands.

"You had me worried today Lara."

"I know Dean. I'm sorry."

"Why didn't you tell me what's been going on?" She gulped. He knew. She wondered how he had found out.

"You've just been so stressed, about everything. And it gave you one more reason to fuss over me. I'm fine Dean."

"You're not fine Lara. Have you been checking your blood sugar like you're supposed to?" She shook her head.

"Lara, you can't do that. You could go into a coma, or die." A tear slid down her cheek.

"It doesn't matter anymore. My aunt and my dad aren't here." She burst into tears, and Dean realised how depressed everything was making her; the baby, the death of her father and her aunt, her health issues. He got up and sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her forward into a hug.

"Lara, I had no idea." She cried into his chest, holding him tight. He pulled her back to look her in the eyes.

"We'll always be here for you Lara. Everyone; Lachie, Chase, Heidi, Jordan, Michelle, Vince, Kate, heck, even Dad and Fiona are excited about this baby. And it's not mine. We'll be here to help you. Michelle's already looking into funerals for you and is arranging everything." Lara could only cry harder. She tried to compose herself, and eventually brought it down to only sniffles. She choked out a few words.

"Thank you."

* * *

Michelle sat in her office, calling funeral agencies, organising Bill and Gina's burial. After she'd finished, she put her phone down, and put her head in her hands. She was worried for Lara, and hadn't heard from Dean yet. She was about to call him when Vince stuck his head in the door.

"Dean rang, Lara's ok."

"What happened?" Asked Michelle.

"Turns out that this pregnancy has caused her to become diabetic. She was in a hypoglycaemic state when Dean, Chase and Lachie got to her. She's been treated at the hospital, and she's alright at the moment." Michelle sighed, and Vince walked in and sat down.

"What's on your mind?"

"She's just lost both her father and her only aunt; the two people that would stand by her and support her with this pregnancy and birth, and now they're gone. I have no idea what I would do in this situation. I imagine I would be distraught." Vince nodded.

"She has us. You and I and the rest of the team are going to help her get through this. You're a mum, you can give her all the baby advice, and I can give her all the fatherly advice." Michelle leant back in her chair.

"That's not a bad idea," she said.

"Have you put it forward to the rest of the aunties and uncles on the team? Oh, and we have to organise a baby shower, and redecorate her house, and help her out with baby-sitting…" Vince put up his hands.

"Stop! I'll send Kate in and you two can discuss this." She laughed.

"You'd be a fantastic grandfather Vince." He backed out of the door, and sent Kate inside. She sat on a chair in front of Michelle's desk, the same one her father vacated moments ago.

"We need to plan everything for Lara and her baby."

* * *

Heidi appeared at the doorway of Lara's hospital room.

"Hey babe. How are you?" Lara smiled.

"Better now you're here. What are you doing here?" A grin spread across Heidi's face.

"I'm here to spring you and take you for a girl's day out. Michelle and Kate are outside. We're having a total girl's day. Jordan's taking the rest of the boys out for a beer at the pub." Heidi stuck her head out the door and called a nurse. One came in carrying discharge papers. Lara signed them, and got dressed in the clothes Heidi brought her. She was glad Heidi had avoided bringing fitted clothes; her small baby bump made her feel awkward and fat, and her pants were too tight when she had to wear them. She slid the dress over her head, and grabbed her handbag from Heidi.

"Let's go." Heidi linked arms with her, and led her outside. There in the parking lot sat a white stretch hummer. Kate and Michelle stood outside, leaning against the doors.

"What's this?" Asked Lara in surprise.

"We thought you needed a fun day out, and we organised it." Kate's voice was full of glee.

"I pulled in some favours. We got the hummer for free, and we're going for lunch first," said Michelle.

"Where are we going for lunch?" Asked Lara, barely containing her enjoyment.

"We've had your favourite restaurant cleared for a quiet lunch." Lara whooped with delight.

"Let's go!"

* * *

After lunch, the girls took Lara shopping for some maternity clothing. Michelle knew she would be feeling fat and uncomfortable, and along with everyone on the team, had contributed to a fund to get her some stylish new wear. Together they giggled and showed off clothing, enjoying their time together. After they had finished, Lara had a whole new wardrobe for the next six months, and they headed off for a fancy afternoon tea, laden with shopping bags. As they sat sipping tea, they reminisced about their day.

"Guys, I want to thank you for doing this. I've had so much fun, and this all means so much to me." The girls nodded.

"There's more," said Kate.

"How much more?" Asked Lara incredulously.

"When you're ready, and you've worked out whether you're going to live at Dean's or your old house, we're going to do up the nursery for you, make it beautiful." Lara looked down and wiped away a tear. Heidi put an arm around her.

"What's up?"

"This is something my aunt would have done for me."

* * *

The boys sat around in the pub, drowning themselves in beer. Lachie and Chase were singing a footy song, while Jordan and Dean reminisced about the days before they were tied down by women.

"Well, yours is getting fatter by the minute mate." Dean looked at Jordan.

"What did you say?"

"Your girlfriend's so fat she beeps every time she goes backwards." Dean's fist connected with Jordan's face, and soon they had a full-blown pub brawl on their hands. Lachie and Chase tried to pull them apart, but with little success. The club bouncers pulled them off each other, and kicked them out. When the girls came around to pick them up, they were shocked to see their sorry, bruised faces sitting on the curb. Heidi ran to Jordan.

"Babe, what happened to your face?" His nose was bleeding a little, and she pulled a tissue out of her bag and handed it to him. He took it gratefully.

"Thanks gorgeous," he slurred. Heidi crinkled her nose.

"How drunk are you?" She demanded. Jordan swayed a little.

"Bout this much," he replied, holding his arms out. Dean was no better. He leant over and threw up on the ground. Lara stepped back, a look of distaste on her face. Between the four girls, they helped the boys into the hummer, and dropped them home. After seeing Dean's drunk state, Lara was going to stay at Heidi's with Kate, and Michelle was going home to James.

* * *

Heidi, Lara and Kate sat in the kitchen, comparing paint cards, working out the nursery colours. Kate was helping her, and as Lara sat there, she could feel the signs of a hypo coming on. She stood up, shaking, and sat on the floor, head spinning. Kate called out to Heidi.

"Heidi, I need you." Heidi dashed out of the kitchen where she was making dinner for the three of them, and looked between Kate and Lara.

"What's up?"

"Can you go to Lara's bag and grab out her blood glucose machine?" Heidi nodded, and ran to the living room. She returned quickly, and passed the machine to Kate. She pulled out the needle, and pricked Lara's finger. She put the blood on the test strip and put it into the machine. It came up at two point three. Kate directed Heidi as to what to do.

"I need something sugary; some lollies, fruit juice, something. She's going into a hypo, and we need to right her blood sugar." Heidi dashed into the kitchen, and came back with a cup of apple juice. Kate held it up for Lara.

"Come on Lara, you need to drink this."


	28. 4-5: Distress Chapter 4

**Chapter Four-**  
Dean lay on his bed, the room spinning. He had no idea how much he had drunk, or what he'd said, but he knew he can't have done anything good. He stumbled out of bed, heading for the bathroom, nausea filling his entire being. He made it to the toilet, with little time to spare. After throwing up for what seemed like hours, he headed back to his bed. Fatigue crept over him as he lay his head down on his pillow. He closed his eyes, thinking he'd just lay there for a little while until he felt better.

* * *

Lara slept through the night with no issues. Kate and Heidi took turns waking her to check her blood sugar levels so last night's events didn't repeat. She awoke, ravenous with hunger. She padded into the kitchen, where Kate was making breakfast.

"Morning sleepyhead." Laughed Kate.

"Morning," Lara yawned.

"You want breakfast? I made pancakes," said Kate. Lara nodded, and Kate flipped a small stack onto her plate. Lara dug into them quickly, hungry. Heidi stepped into the kitchen, her hair mussed badly.

"Morning. How did we all sleep?" She asked.

"Pretty good. I didn't have Dean rolling over next to me all night, so I had a decent rest." Heidi nodded.

"That's good. Oh, you've made pancakes. Thanks Kate." Kate slid another stack onto Heidi's plate. She turned and set the pan down on the stovetop, and then faced the girls.

"Michelle rang. All four of us are on today. Seems the boys got a little too drunk. Dad will man the station, and us four girls will deal with rescues. Some of them Michelle will palm off to one of the other units if she can." Heidi and Lara nodded. Lara stood up.

"If we don't move, we'll be late."

* * *

Chase rolled over in his bed. Feeling a warm body beside him, he rolled over quickly, and fell out of bed. Staggering to his feet, he pulled back the covers.

"Who are you?" He demanded. She rolled over and batted her eyelids.

"Don't you remember Chasie? My name is Jess. We met last night at a bar. You said you wanted a night of fun, so we came back to your place." He looked at her, then ran to the bathroom to throw up. She came in behind him, her dark hair tumbling over her shoulders and onto her chest. She was beautiful, but Chase didn't have time to contemplate her looks. He was busy heaving over the toilet. She picked up a face washer from his sink, and dampened it. She wiped over his slightly sweaty face, and then helped him up.

"How much did you drink last night?" She asked, helping move his body back to the bed. She got him in, and covered him with the blankets. He tried to push her away, worried about what she might do while he was asleep.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to do anything. I'm more concerned about you." He nodded, his eyes already drifting closed. She crept out of his room, and was met in the doorway by Lachie.

"Who are you?" He asked sleepily.

"Just a friend of Chase's. Don't go in there, he's just fallen asleep." He nodded, and turned back down the hallway, staggering back to his own room. Jess let herself out, locking the door behind her. As she did, she realised she left her bra in his room. She wanted to meet Chase again, to know him when he was a little more sober. She decided to come back later and meet him face to face, and to collect that darned bra. She ran down the stairs, and outside into the fresh air.

* * *

Jordan awoke in the back of his car, drool on his face. He hurriedly wiped it off, and sat up quickly. He hit his head on the low roof, and swore. Rubbing his tender head, he tried to remember where he was and what he'd done last night. He remembered drinking with Dean and the boys, whilst the girls had a shopping day. As the memories flooded back, he remembered insulting Lara to Dean's face. He touched his blackened eye, wincing as he felt the bruised flesh. He could still feel the contact between his face and Dean's clenched fist, and knew he should go and apologise. He climbed awkwardly into the front seat, and kicked the car over, starting the engine with a roar. He pulled out into the traffic, and headed for Dean's place, hoping he could forgive him for what he said.

* * *

Dean awoke to someone bashing on his front door. He got up, and after running into two doorframes and falling over the coffee table, groggily opened the front door. Jordan stood in front of him.

"Is it alright if I come in?" he asked. Dean allowed him inside.

"No more comments about my pregnant girlfriend, ok?"

"Look Dean, what I said last night was way out of line. I'm so sorry. Alcohol makes me lose my inhibitions, and I don't even know what made me say that. Mate, I didn't mean it." Dean looked at Jordan, and the sincerity on his face, and stuck out his hand.

"It's ok. It's been said and done, let's put it behind us." Jordan took Dean's hand, and shook it. Dean released Jordan's hand after a few minutes, and spoke.

"Let me get dressed. We should get to the station and explain ourselves to the girls. We didn't behave to well last night."

* * *

At the station, Heidi, Lara, Kate and Michelle sat around Michelle's office, discussing baby names.

"What would you name your baby if it's a girl Lara?" Asked Kate, curious.

"I'm not telling guys." The girls all groaned.

"Why not Lara?" Asked Heidi.

"Well, if I tell you, then you will all want to have your input. I can't have that. I've picked my names, and that's that. I haven't even told Dean yet." The girls giggled. A knock on the door announced Dean and Jordan's presence. Michelle let them in, apologetic looks on their faces.

"What's up?" Asked Heidi.

"We wanted to apologize for being so drunk last night; we shouldn't have been." Heidi stood up and touched Jordan on the arm.

"It's ok. We had a girl's night in instead. You'll keep." Dean went to Lara.

"Lara, I'm sorry I didn't spend time with you last night. I shouldn't have gotten so drunk. It won't happen again, I promise." She looked him in the eyes, then kissed him on the forehead.

"It's ok Dean. I trust you."

* * *

After a quiet dinner at home, Dean and Lara snuggled up together on his couch, watching a movie. She was glad to be back with him. She'd only been gone one night, and it felt like she was coming home. He kissed her gently.

"How would you feel about moving in here permanently?" He asked.

"Are you sure?"

"Well, I have two extra bedrooms. We can redecorate one for the baby, and use the other one as a playroom or an office. It would be better here than your one bedroom apartment." She leant up to him and kissed him on the lips.

"Dean, I'd love to. The girls will be excited."

"Why is that?" he asked, puzzled.

"They've offered to decorate the nursery before the baby comes. I had to decide where I was going to raise my baby before that happened, and now they can do it." Dean squeezed her gently.

"That's great." She leant into his chest, and returned to watching the movie. He interrupted after a little while.

"Lara." She looked at him.

"Hop up for a second; I need to grab something from my room." She sat back, allowing him room to get up. He disappeared into his room, and returned quickly. He knelt down in front of her.

"Lara, I love you and this baby, and I want you to stay by my side forever, no matter what happens for you or the baby. Will you marry me?"


	29. 4-5: Distress Chapter 5

**Chapter Five-**  
She looked at him, on the floor on his knees, waiting for her answer.

"Yes Dean." He cheered, and swept her off the lounge, bringing her close. She kissed him, lost in the moment. He broke off the kiss, and looked her in the eyes.

"I love you Lara." She pecked him on the cheek.

"I love you too Dean Gallagher." He moved his hand down to her swelling abdomen.

"And I love the baby too, and I can't wait to meet him or her." She looked at him.

"Are you going soft Gallagher?" She laughed.

"No," he said quietly. She lifted his chin to look in his eyes.

"You are Gallagher, and that's why I love you." She took the ring out of the box and handed it to him. He took her hand and slipped the diamond ring over her finger. She smiled at him, tears of joy and happiness streaming down her face. He kissed her.

"Don't cry Lara," he said. He wiped away a tear with his thumb, stroking her face. She held his hand, and pulled him up, and motioned for him to sit on the couch. He sat up again, and she leant into his chest. He reclined gently, and stroked her hair. Lara rested on his chest, feeling, for the first time in a long time, that she was safe and secure in her future. Her hand crept down to stroke her baby bump.

"I love you."

* * *

"Alright team, we've got a car accident on the harbour bridge; a truck has rolled, and blocked four lanes, and has caused a five car pile-up. Firies will meet you there to deal with the leaking petrol, and any other chemical hazards. Get moving!" Everyone dashed down stairs to the patrols. Dean, Kate and Lara were paired together this time, the goal being that Kate would replace Lara for a little while when she was on maternity leave. As they sped towards the accident scene, Lara put her hand across and gripped Dean's. He smiled at her.

"Ew you two! Get a room," said Kate jokingly. Lara took her hand away from Dean's, and moved her fingers at Kate. She gasped and took her hand.

"When did he ask?"

"Last night," said Lara smugly. Kate ogled the beautiful ring.

"When's the wedding?" She asked. Lara looked at Dean.

"Probably not til after the baby is born," she replied. Kate released Lara's hand.

"So are you moving into his place?" She asked.

"Geez Kate, you've got so many questions today! Yes, I'm moving in with Dean before the baby is born, and you girls are invited to come over after we've cleaned out the spare rooms, and you can decorate." Kate cheered. Dean pulled up beside the burning wreckage strewn across the bridge, and jumped out. Lara and Kate flung open their own doors, and headed for the back of the patrol, taking out gear. Dean headed for Jake Hudson.

"What's the go?" He asked gruffly.

"Two trapped in the blue car, a woman in the red, one in each the green and the black, a hysterical male in the silver, and the truck driver is a suspected spinal." Dean nodded.

"Any other issues?"

"We've got leaking petrol from one of the cars, so no sparks at the moment." Dean sprinted away to his waiting team.

"Lara, red. Kate and Lachie, blue. Chase, silver. Jordan, green. Heidi, black. I'll take the truck driver." They separated. The team was spread thin today, but they knew they could do it. Lara ran over to the red car, no knowing what to expect. The woman inside was crying.

"Hi, my name's Lara. Can you tell me your name?"

"Megan Campbell," she sobbed. Lara assessed her, trying to see the extent of her injuries. All she could see was her head and shoulders, the steering wheel and crumpled front covering her body. Megan's face grimaced.

"Megan? What's going on?" Megan cried harder.

"It's too early, he can't come now," she said, distressed.

"Who can't come now?" Asked Lara.

"My baby. I can feel the contractions. It's too early, he won't survive." Megan was panicking. Lara tried to calm her, but it didn't work.

"Rescue Portable Two to anyone who's available. Can someone come help me here please?"

"Rescue Portable One to Rescue Portable Two, I'm finished Lara. I'll be there in a second." Dean had finished with the truck driver. He had been an easy extraction, and with some assistance from the ambulance crew, had the driver in and ambulance and on his way in minutes. He sprinted towards Lara and her patient.

"What's up Lara?" He called.

"We need a hospital on standby. She's gone into labour." Dean checked her over himself.

"Should be able to move her if we grab a combi-tool." Jordan and Heidi ran over, having finished with their own patients. Lara stepped back, allowing Heidi to attach heart monitors and give the woman oxygen. Jordan went to help Dean with the tools. The two boys returned quickly with the combi-tool.

"Move aside Heidi and Lara." Jordan put a patient-shield over Megan's body. Dean wedged the tool in the doorframe, and prised it apart. They pulled Megan out and onto a spinal board. An alarm told them her oxygen stats were dropping, along with her blood pressure and heart rate. Heidi leapt into action, administering medication.

"Dean, she's bleeding from somewhere, probably internally. I can't stop it." Dean flagged down an ambo officer, who came running. He checked her over, and waved down another officer who brought a gurney over. They transferred her onto it, and her stats flat-lined.

"No!" Cried Lara. She jumped up from her crouching position on the ground, and pushed the ambo's aside. She brought her hands down on Megan's chest, trying CPR. Heidi pulled back Megan's shirt, and noticed the large dark bruise that bloomed there. Dean saw it too, and pulled Lara back away from the woman.

"Lara, it's too late. The internal injuries were too great for us to treat." She let herself be pulled into his chest, and cried. Her emotions felt frazzled. The ambo officers wheeled Megan's body away, and loaded her into an ambulance. Dean pulled out a juice from his pack, and passed it to Lara.

"Drink this; otherwise you'll pass out." She drank it, not realising how thirsty she was. The other teams finished, and packed up their gear. It would be left to tow truck drivers to clear up the wreckage now. Dean held Lara close as they walked back to the patrol. Kate decided to hitch a ride with Chase and Lachie.

"It's alright Lara, it's not your fault," Dean said softly as they walked. She pulled away from him.

"It is my fault. I should have assessed her better, told her what the risks were. I just wanted to get her and her baby out safely." The tears streamed down her face.

"Lara, it's ok. We can't save everyone, remember?" She nodded. He kissed the top of her forehead. She climbed into the front of the patrol.

"Part of me hopes that nothing like that ever happens to you. That's something that scares me the most." She smiled at him.

"Something that frightens the brave Dean Gallagher? Never!" He laughed with her. He pulled out into the traffic, watching her and not the road. Lara glanced up.

"Dean! Look out!"


	30. 4-5: Distress Chapter 6

**Chapter Six-**  
Lachie and Chase heard the scraping of metal and squealing of tires as they packed up, and then the tinkling of shattered glass. They looked at each other, and sprinted down the road, medi-kit's slapping their backs as they ran. Kate, Jordan and Heidi followed after them. What met their eyes was not a pretty sight. A mangled car was wedged into the rear side of the patrol. Dean was slumped over the steering wheel. Chase pushed himself harder to get to Dean. Lachie followed. Heidi, Jordan and Kate split up, the girls taking Lara, and Jordan taking the driver. When he got around to the driver's side, he opened the door, and looked on in astonishment.

"Heidi!" He called. Heidi stuck her head around the corner.

"What?" She asked.

"There's no driver."

"What?" She came around the car fully, leaving Kate with Lara. An empty seat sat before them, a weight strapped to the accelerator. It had slipped when the crash occurred, otherwise the car may not have stopped. She shrugged her shoulders.

"I don't know." She left Jordan, and jogged back to Kate. Lara was fine; they just wanted to get her out of the car. Lachie and Chase pulled open Dean's door, dragging him out gently. He was breathing, and awake, just a little groggy, and had a rather impressive bruise flowering on his forehead where he smacked the steering wheel. He pushed them away.

"I'm fine. Where's Lara, is she ok?" She walked around the car, supported by Kate and Heidi.

"Dean, I'm fine." She gasped when she saw the bruise on his head.

"I'll be fine Lara," he said, trying to allay her fears. He got up, unsteady on his feet.

"Where's the driver? I'm going to give him a piece of my mind." Jordan looked at Heidi.

"What?" Asked Dean.

"There was no driver. It was a set-up." The police cars screamed around the corner. Kate had told her Dad what was going on, and Vince thought it wise to alert the authorities. The police piled out, and took statements from witnesses. Lara felt unnerved. The others stood around her and Dean, watching.

"Dean, someone's doing this on purpose. What happens if they get to me?" He enfolded her in his arms.

"I won't let them. You're mine now, and I'll protect you with my dying breath." One of the officers came over to the group.

"Which one of you girls is Lara?" Lara raised a shaking hand. The officer passed her a note. Lara opened it with quaking hands.

_Just because you have his ring on your finger doesn't mean he'll stay with you forever. He will be mine, and I'll do everything it takes… Even if that means knocking you off. Leave him alone now, give back the ring, and maybe I'll spare you and your baby._

Lara dropped the note and slumped quickly to the ground.

"Lara, are you ok?" Asked Dean, concerned. She wrapped her arms around her stomach.

"They're going to kill me," she whispered. The cop crouched down next to her.

"Ma'am, who's going to kill you?" Lara fumbled for the note on the ground, then passed it to the officer. She scanned it quickly, and then looked at Lara.

"How often have you received notes like this?" She queried.

"Not for a while, we were getting them before," said Dean. Lara pulled up her sleeves, showing the officer her scars.

"I was taken a tortured by a Kendra Bradfield, for being with Dean. She tried to force me to say I didn't love him. I thought she was in jail." The cop grabbed her radio, and called back to base, asking for information on Kendra. Lara sat on the ground, rocking gently. Dean crouched down with her, rubbing her back gently. Heidi was in Jordan's arms. She felt worried for Lara, but knew there wasn't a lot she could do. Jordan held her tightly. Kate stood, watching. The officer came back.

"Ma'am, sir. Kendra Bradfield is still in jail. This is someone new, a copycat perhaps. We'd like to take you down to the station to fill in some paperwork so we can start an investigation." Lara nodded, and with the help of Dean and the officer, stood up. They climbed into the back of the squad car, and the officer sped away. Heidi and Jordan traipsed back to their patrol, and Lachie, Chase and Kate went back to theirs.

* * *

Afterwards, Lara and Dean headed home. Dean had a headache, and Lara was exhausted. She needed to eat as well. He pulled into the drive, and turned off the engine.

"Lara, it'll be ok. They'll find who it is." She nodded.

"I hope they do. I don't want to leave you Dean, but if that's what it takes to keep me safe, then I might have to do that." He looked at her with sad eyes.

"You're breaking our engagement?" He asked quietly. She shook her head.

"Not yet, but if I get another threat like that, I might have to Dean. It's not just my life I've got to consider anymore; this baby is a part of things too." He nodded his head, and climbed out. She walked over to the front door, and pulled out her keys. Fumbling to get the right one, she dropped them. Crouching down to pick them up, she found a slip of paper sticking out from the door. She pulled it out, thinking it was about a parcel pickup.

_Lara. Consider this your final warning. I know what I want, and I will get what I want. Watch your back._

She dropped the keys again. Dean came up behind her and picked them up, and passed them to her. When she didn't take them, he unlocked the door himself.

"What's up?" She showed him the letter. He read through it, hands shaking in anger. He looked at her, tears streaming down her face.

"No, Lara. Don't do this, please," he begged. She shook her head.

"I have to Dean," she said softly. She pulled the ring off her finger, and put it in the palm of his hand, and then ran. He called after her, tears falling unheeded down his own face.

"Lara!"

* * *

_Nearby, a stranger watched in the shadows, pleased with the results…_


End file.
